Harry Potter and the Nature of Power
by imgeorgenotfred
Summary: In the fight at the Department of Mysteries Harry stands and fights in the time room. This leads to dire consequences, but also to second chances. Can an invigorated Harry change things for the better?
1. Distorted Time

**Distorted Time.**

"NOW!" bellowed Harry.

All of them shouted out, "REDUCTO!" and six curses flew in six different directions slamming into the surrounding wooden shelves. In the blink of an eye hundreds of prophecies shattered. A cascading waterfall of broken glass fell all around them, while ghost like figures floated into the air their ethereal voices consumed by the thundering noise of collapsing shelves.

RUN!" Harry yelled, shoving the Prophecy into an inside pocket. He then grabbed a handful of Hermione's robes and pulled her after him. Ron, Ginny and Luna sped past him heading in the direction of the exit. He chased after them his arms raised to ward of the worst of the debris that was still falling all around them. He risked a quick look back and saw Hermione and Neville right behind him. He flung another curse at the Death Eaters chasing them and was reward with one going down tripping another in the process. When he faced forward again the others had disappeared into the gloom in front of him and then he saw a crack of light from a partially opened door. With an extra burst of speed he headed towards it.

It was the time room and he could just see the tall bell jar they had passed earlier glittering. He crashed through the doorway and as soon as the other two ran through he slammed it shut with his shoulder. No sooner had the door clicked shut than a heavy weight smashed into it from the other side making it shudder. Muffled cursing could be heard from the other side.

"Get out of the way," a deep male voice said from the other side and a moment later the door handle began to move. Harry grabbed it and began to struggling with the person on the other side.

"Harry move out of the way and I'll lock it," Hermione said behind him.

"There isn't time, if I let go they'll get in."

"Let me help Harry," Neville said running up beside him. His help though was going to be academic.

"Blast it open!"

"Harry get out of the way," Hermione screamed. Her warning though was unnecessary both boys needed no urging and dived out of the way in opposite directions as the door handle was blasted out followed by a hail of jagged splinters that were stopped dead by Hermione's shield charm..

"Don't break that Prophecy," Lucius Malfoy commanded as he and four other Death Eaters barged into the room. "Hand it over Potter do you honestly think mere children could defeat us."

Harry scrambled to his feet his back to a glass cabinet of hour-glasses, interspersed with an array of different sized time turners. He refrained from answering, but instead threw a stunning spell at the blonde haired man forcing him to duck.

"Expelliarmus," Hermione said popping up from behind one of the desks at the back of the room and then ducking down again. Harry didn't know which Death Eater it belonged to but a wand flew back towards her. Harry felt a surge of pride at his friend's success.

"Get bent Malfoy."

"The Prophecy Potter or I'll have the Mudblood killed." Neville his face red from undisguised anger fired off a poorly aimed stunner which hit the ceiling dislodging a large chunk of powdery white plaster. He was then forced to scamper to safety behind a row of desks as three cures headed towards him leaving Harry alone and unprotected at the front of the room.

"Neville, Hermione get out of here now." The doorway to the next hallway was right behind them and the way was clear for now.

"No I'm not leaving you Harry," Neville shouted back.

"Don't argue go and get help." It was his fault they were here in the first place. He'd been a complete naive idiot believing those damn dreams, and his friends shouldn't be the one's to pay for it especially as Hermione had warned him.

"Run for it Harry," Hermione screamed. "You've got the Prophecy they won't …"

What she was going to say next was cut off as the desk in front of her was cracked in two by a deep orange curse that Harry didn't recognise. Hermione yelped in fright and vanished from sight. He understood immediately what she had been trying to saying from those few words. The Prophecy was the only leverage he had so with his left hand he withdrew it from the inside of his robes grasping it tightly.

"Accio…"

"Protego."

"… Prophecy." Harry's shield charm had successfully blocked Malfoy's summoning charm.

"Try that again and I'll smash it."

"You're in no position to negotiate Potter and if you break it you'll never know what it says."

"Prophecies are a load of crap Malfoy, and there are more important things than hearing some weirdo's prediction." The thought that someone like Trelawney could make a real prediction was simply ludicrous. "Now I'll tell you what's going to happen. My friends and I are going to walk out of here and if you make even half a move the prophecy will be history." Malfoy pushed his mask back revealing a sweat stained face and glared at him. When he started to raise his wand Harry raised his hand and made to slam the sphere into the floor.

"Nobody moves," Malfoy said lowering his wand again. "That includes you Potter!" he added when Harry tried to side step towards Hermione and Neville.

"If I smash this no amount of money will save you from Voldemort's anger so don't start giving me orders _servant._"

"Do not speak his name!" a masked man behind Malfoy barked in a deep baritone.

"Tell me why do you follow a half-blood?" Harry asked playing for time in the vague hope someone or something would turn up and change this stalemate into their favour.

"Do not talk about what you cannot comprehend."

"No you're right I don't comprehend that's why I asked the question you inbred cretin. His real name is Tom Riddle. His muggle father was buried in that graveyard. He admitted it to me before you all arrived to grovel and kiss his feet."

"Do not speak such filth," the deep voiced man said.

"I'll say what I like about that murdering bastard and I only wish I could be there when he punishes you. I expect you all enjoy that don't you, you sick freaks."

It was no good he couldn't stay here forever, inaction had never suited him, and no doubt that slime ball Snape had done nothing about alerting the Order or Dumbledore. They were on their own. The other three seemed to have vanished without trace. Merlin alone knew what had happened to them. Harry stared hard at Malfoy and was pleased to more sweat breaking out on his forehead. The threat of failure was clearly something he was afraid of.

"The Dark Lord may well punish me Potter should you break the prophecy, but be assured of one thing. The compensation of your death and those of your friends will please him far more than my failure. You will die tonight if the Prophecy is lost. I guarantee it."

"Yea, yea heard it all before," Harry said although the tightness in his guts belied his apparent calm external demeanour. "Making threats is easy Malfoy's are good at those, but I'll give you a promise. When I next see your sad excuse for a son I'll make his life a living hell, and blame it all on you."

If Malfoy had a reply to his promise it was one that Harry would never hear as things rapidly began to go to hell. Shouts, screams, and the crashing of spells from the corridor behind Hermione and Neville made any normal conversation impossible.

"Harry, Hermione where the hell are you?"

"Ron in here," Hermione screamed back. Ron, Ginny and Luna tumbled into the room chased in by a multitude of bright sickly lights. They fell behind a line of desks but before they went out of his vision Harry could see that they had not had an easy time of it. Luna's hair and face was covered in what looked like her own blood and Ginny had been carried in between them dragging a useless leg. Only Ron looked as though he was in one piece but there was a panicked look to his face.

Distracted by their entrance Harry was forced to drop to the floor to avoid a stunner cast at him from someone in the group in front of him. Unnoticed by Harry the spell smashed into the glass cabinet behind him. The cabinet collapsed to the floor where it promptly leapt back up again fully repaired, and then shattered once more beginning a never ending cycle.

Rolling on the ground Harry fired back with a confringo curse aimed at Malfoy's chest. Unprepared with a lowered wand he arched his back so the curse flew straight past ruffling his robes. The Death Eater behind was not so fortunate, unsighted by Malfoy the curse slammed into his mask before he even saw it coming. The mask shattered into a dozen pieces and blood erupted from his ruined nose and shattered jaw. His hands clutched to the remains of his face in a vain attempt to hold in the damage letting out a high pitched scream of agony as he did so.

"Rodolphus!" Bellatrix screamed like a Banshee from the doorway the others had run through. She was followed by another large group of masked Death Eaters. Her eyes glinting with madness watched the man Harry had just hit fall to the floor twitching uncontrollable. Harry saw the moment when something inside her snapped and screeching incoherently she launched herself across the room her wand flashing a myriad of colours. All Harry could do from his position on the floor was throw up a shield charm and hope for the best.

"BELLA NO!" yelled Malfoy deflecting one of the spells into the ceiling, but Bellatrix was beyond reason, and anyone's control. He could see no way out of this madness, and without a second thought Harry slammed the Prophecy into the marble floor where it disintegrated and the ghost like figure went unheard. Bedlam now ruled in what had become a small and suddenly very over crowded room, and it was all he could do to avoid the mad witch's assault.

She wasn't the only one firing off wildly, everybody was now firing spells in all directions and already Harry could see three Death Eaters were lying prone blood oozing from one of them. Another one was flung back out of the room from a blast from Luna's wand, but her victory was short lived as a curse hit her in the side and she disappeared from view. He hoped beyond hope that she was lying down out of sight injured, but still alive.

Bellatrix was so transfixed on Harry that she never saw who was heading on an intercept course. In a sight that Harry knew would never leave him Neville had somehow jumped up onto a desk and was no longer holding his wand. It looked as though he had dropped it in favour of the broken table leg he was now carrying instead. There was a wild look in his eyes, but his expression was one of grim determination and hate that if it had been aimed at him personally would have frightened Harry.

Jumping from one desk to another in a feat of balance and fluid motion that Harry knew Neville would have found impossible under normal circumstances he crossed the room in moments. Fortune favours the brave and Neville's luck held as he was untouched by any of the deadly beams of light that flashed from one side of the room to the other.

Flinging himself from the last desk in the row and swinging his makeshift club at the same time Neville crashed into Bellatrix. The mad witch's wand went flying as the club slammed into her arm clearly breaking the bone. Neville wasn't finished though staggering to stay upright he swung the club one more time cracking it against her skull and she dropped like a stone. For a stunned moment the room went silent as all its occupants absorbed the non-magical fate of one of the most powerful and evil witch of modern times.

"Kill them, kill them all. The Prophecy has gone," Malfoy screamed breaking the deadlock. A green light flashed across the room from his wand and Neville fell down lifeless the table leg rolling away from his outstretched hand.

"_DIFFINDO_." Harry's over powered spell hit Malfoy across the chest and neck and jugular blood sprayed out. The aristocratic pureblood collapsed sideways knocking into the desk the bell jar was sitting on. A look of shock and surprise on his face at what Harry had done to him. Harry watched as the light in his eyes went out as Malfoy collapsed in a limp heap.

Agonisingly slowly the bell jar slide across the surface of the desk and teetered on the edge. It then toppled off in slow motion the humming bird still going through its never ending cycle. To escape being crushed Harry was forced to scrabble backwards, but in his hurry and panic he never noticed the cabinet that was still breaking and reforming itself behind him.

He backed into it knocking time turners off their shelves and as though someone had flicked a switch all sound cut out and time slowed down. Harry found he was unable to move and all he was capable of doing was watch in horror as Ron was flung across to the far side of the room hitting the wall where he slumped to the ground his neck at an impossible angle. He was forced to watch as Hermione jumped up as though to go and help him, her mouth open in a silent scream only for her to be hit in the back by a purple beam of light and disappear from sight. The horror continued as all the remaining desks surrounding Luna and Ginny exploded into a fountain of matchwood.

Still unable to move, and numb with shock at the apparent violent deaths of all his friends Harry was barely aware of the continued slow decent of the bell jar full of distorted time. Instead of shattering into a thousand pieces as it hit the marble floor the jar began to flow towards him, its shape changing to reflect a river of molten glass. With agonising slowness the front edge of it touched the base of the cabinet.

At that moment the world for Harry turned on its axis. The room seemed to spin around at an every increasing speed and in multiple directions all at the same time, until everything was no more than a blur with himself at the centre of the vortex. If Harry could feel the effects of the wild motion, he was sure he would have brought up everything he had eaten for the last week and beyond, but he felt and heard nothing. Time and motion no longer had any personnel meaning for him all he could think about were his friends he had doomed to a hideous, violent, and unnecessary death.

The end, when it came, was sudden and brutal. Everything around him stopped and Harry felt himself flung through the air. It was a hundred times worse than a Portkey. He hit the ground in a sprawling mess the wind was knocked out of him and every muscle and bone in his body hurt. Harry lay there on the ground his eyes shut waiting for his brain and stomach to catch up with his body. Aside from the pain that slowly eased to a dull pounding ache the first sensation that he truly felt was one of cold, mind numbing desperate cold.

Harry recognised that cold, it wasn't the normal cold that was caused by the weather or inappropriate clothing. It was a cold that seeped into your very being, a feeling that unfortunately he was all too familiar with, Dementors. He opened his eyes and to his shock instantly recognised where he was. He was lying at the entrance to a wind swept looking alleyway that connected Wisteria Walk with Magnolia Crescent. Litter was still falling through the air whipped up he guessed by his sudden arrival. All thoughts of why and how were pushed to the back of his mind when he saw the Dementor advancing on the unmistakable prone figure of Dudley.

"_Expecto patronum!_"A cone of silverysmoke flowed from the end of his wand still clutched in his hand, but that was all he produced his stag never formed. He watched in horror as the Dementor started to bend over and prise Dudley's hands apart and away from his mouth. A freezing fog filled Harry's brain and his mother's scream began echoing in his mind as visions of Ron and Hermione being killed replayed before him. He had killed them. It had been his fault if only he could … but of course!

"_Expecto patronum!_" This time he cast the spell with the wild happy thought that Hermione, Ron and the others might still be alive. Prongs bounded forward in all his glory and charged down the Dementor hovering over Dudley. Hit in the area where its ribs would have been if had been human it soared away into the darkness. With its debilitating effects gone Harry jumped to his feet and began scanning the area for the second one that he knew must be in the area.

He felt its effects before he saw it. It was at the far end of the alleyway bent over another form performing the kiss even as he watched.

"Get it!" he screamed to Prongs an icy sensation that had nothing to do with the Dementor filling his stomach. There could only be one person here at this time. Unbidden Hermione's voice popped up in his head, '_awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time, loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake,'_ The Dementor vanished into the gloom and the late evening sunshine magically returned, weakly illuminating the scene. It didn't make Harry feel any better.

Not wanting to, but able to stop himself, Harry stumbled over to the curled up figure lying face down in the rain gutter. The black messy hair was unmistakeable and even though he had never seen the back of his head, other than in a mirror, he knew he was staring at himself. It wasn't meant to be this way. It couldn't be this way. He had survived the Dementor attack, but obviously something he had done, or even just his arrival had changed those events irreparably.

He knelt down wand still in hand beside himself. His emotions had been in turmoil the last few hours. Everything had been done in a whirlwind and now all he could feel was a dull numbness. Not only had he led his friends to their deaths, but he had somehow killed himself as well. Without thought he reached over to pull the wand out of his younger self's out stretched hand. The equivalent of an electric shock ran up his arm as both holly wands connected.

Harry struggled to pull them apart but the wands began to merge together. The younger one began to dissolve into a fine black powdery dust which then spiralled around the one in his hand and flowed into it. Worse was to come as the kissed body followed suit, except the dust particles entered him rather than the wand. No stranger to pain Harry endured, stifling the screams of agony that threatened to escape his lungs. In the end it was too much and blackness claimed him as he passed out.

"Harry, Harry wake up!" Blurry eyed he opened his eyes and saw the concerned face of Mrs Figg. "Oh thank goodness, I wasn't sure what to do if you didn't come round. I'm going to kill Mundungus Fletcher. Dementors in Little Whingeing. Dumbledore will be furious."

Easing himself up Harry mental checked himself and was surprised to find that he was fit and healthy. In fact he couldn't remember when he had last felt this good. The aches and pains had gone and there didn't seem to be a sign of any of the bruises or cuts he must have had from all that had occurred.

"You needn't worry about Mundungus Mrs Figg, I'll sort him out. In fact I should have done it the first time around."

"First time?" Mrs Figg queried as they both started to head towards the shivering form of Dudley.

"I'm sure he's slacked off before," Harry said realising that he had said something that was out of context. He'd have to be more careful.

"Get up you lazy lump," Mrs Figg screeched kicking the unmoving Dudley. Harry didn't think he was going to get up on his own very soon. "The fat lump's a waste of space."

"I'll drag him up," Harry said slipping his wand back in his pocket.

"Don't put it away boy I'm a Squib. If they come back I'll be useless."

"They won't be back," Harry said with conviction. He reached down and grabbed Dudley's arm and yanked. Harry was surprised at how much easier it was this time around. Sure he had nearly a year's growth on him but it shouldn't have been effortless. It wasn't as if Dudley had lost weight this summer.

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do."

"Forget the Statute of Secrecy carry your wand. MUNDUNGUS I'M GOING TO KILL YOU," she screamed at the sky. There was a sharp crack and the air smelt of drink, tobacco and a musty decay.

"What's up Figgy? I'm meant to be undercover you know. I had to pop out and close a cauldron deal." The smell of drink increased with the opening of his mouth. Harry half dropped, half lowered the bulk that was Dudley onto a patch of worn grass.

"Dementors you crooked swine, you abandon your post for a bunch of dodgy cauldrons, and Harry gets attacked by Dementors."

"What err…?" for a moment the crook looked totally confused. "Yea but they were a good price, and I even had a buyer lined up …" Mundungus started to back up at the murderous look on Mrs Figg's face. He had one eye on the string bag that she was now swinging threateningly and the other on her angered face, which was a shame because he never saw the fist coming that hit him just below the left eye. The dishevelled purveyor of stolen goods hit the stone pavement hard on his backside with a stunned look.

It was a toss up who was more shocked. Mrs Figg looked at Harry with something akin to awe, and not a little jealousy. Harry though was looking at his fist in surprise. First of all having never hit anyone before he hadn't realised just how painful punching someone in the face could be. All the knuckles on his hand hurt. Secondly he didn't think he had hit him hard enough to send Mundungus to the ground he really must be stronger than he thought. He glanced at Dudley to see his reaction, but the fat lump was lying down still completely out of it and had missed it.

"Now you useless piece of shit go and explain what happened to Dumbledore, and that includes the reason why you weren't here," Mrs Figg hissed. When it looked as though Mundungus wanted to argue some more she snapped. "Go or I'll set Harry on you."

In a blink of an eye the dodgy dealer vanished, but not before he threw a frightened look Harry's way. Harry bent over and yanked Dudley up again onto his feet giving him a slap to try and wake him up. He had little success.

"With any luck Dumbledore will turn him inside out," Mrs Figg said vindictively.

"I doubt it he's far to forgiving. Look Mrs Figg thanks for your help I'll manage from here. This is going to be one hell of a mess to clear up and I wouldn't want the Dursleys knowing you were involved."  
"Yes, yes you're quite right I better get back home and wait for further instructions." Mrs Figg abruptly turned around and scuttled off in her floppy slippers pursued by one of her cats.

Alone in the dark Harry let out a huge sigh of frustration. He wanted to crawl into his bedroom and work out what had happened to his life, but that was going to have to wait. His Uncle and Aunt had to be dealt with first and frankly he had had enough agro for one day.

Dudley was now supporting most of his own weight but failing to put one foot in front of the other properly. The result was that the pair of them staggered drunkenly up the path way trampling the pristine flower beds as they went. There would be hell to pay when Petunia saw the damage in the morning. With a sinking feeling in his stomach Harry rang the door bell and watched the familiar stick figure of his Aunt approach through the distorted glass of the door.

"Diddy! About time too, I was getting quite – quite – Diddy what's the matter?"

It was just at that moment that Harry remembered what had happened last time and he quickly ducked out from under Dudley. Dudley leaning on the door jam swayed on the spot and then vomited all over the front step spraying the doormat, the hall carpet and Aunt Petunia's shiny light blue shoes in one fell swoop.


	2. Non Communication

**A Lack of Communication.**

The yells of disgust and the screams of anger coming from the adult Dursleys increased as Dudley regurgitated for a second time. Ignoring the whole revolting scene Harry walked into the kitchen, and without asking permission opened the fridge. This was normally a forbidden action for Harry, in fact it still was, but he was past caring what the Dursley's thought or said anymore. Deep in the recess of the fridge behind the low fat this, and high protein that, was a stack of chocolate bars.

It was one of the things that he never understood about his Aunt's skewed view on life. The bars were there as a reward for Dudley when he had successfully stuck to his diet for the day. Every night without fail he was handed one, so long as he had scraped his plate clean which was of course inevitable. He also knew for a fact that Dudley bought food elsewhere with money he exhorted from various victims from the neighbourhood.

He pulled out the largest one that was reserved for Sunday evening. He ripped it open and snapped it in half. Without ceremony he bit a chunk off the end of one of the halves and revelled in the warmth that spread through his body as it helped remove the lingering after effects of the Dementors.

"It was him," Dudley croaked finally having found the energy and brain cells to speak.

"I knew it. I knew it," Vernon said as though a hidden truth had finally been discovered. "Alright boy undo whatever you did right this minute."

"Give him some of this," Harry said holding out the other half bar of chocolate. "It'll help ease the effects of the Dementors that attacked us."

"The what?" he said ignoring the offered chocolate.

"Dementors."

"Rubbish, absolute rubbish Dudley said you did this not these ruddy demontees. I will not have this … this unnaturalness mentioned in my house."

With impeccable timing an owl flew through the open window dropped a letter in front of Harry, who caught it, and then went out the way it came without pausing. Harry stuffed the letter unopened inside his jacket and awaited the inevitable explosion.

"OWLS I will not have Owls in my house," Vernon bellowed slamming shut the kitchen window. Harry was finding it a novel experience knowing exactly what was going to happen next. He was much calmer than the first time, and far less angry, it was just a shame that Uncle Vernon wasn't.

"Look just give Dudley some chocolate and he'll feel loads better." His Uncle again ignored the proffered bar, as he was too busy drawing in an extra large lung full of air instead. Harry moved towards his cousin to give him the half bar himself.

"Oh no you don't, you're not going anywhere near my son."

Vernon moved to block Harry and Petunia suddenly screamed. A dishevelled looking owl had just slammed into the closed kitchen window. Harry instantly recognised Errol the Weasley's enfeebled owl. He threw the chocolate in Dudley's direction where it landed at his feet. He then went back to re-open the window. Again he removed the letter and placed it with the other one in his jacket. Errol just fell off the window sill and lay on its back amongst the bed of for-get-me-nots, forgotten.

"Who's sending all these damn Owls?" Uncle Vernon shouted.

"The Ministry of Magic and my friend's dad," Harry answered. "I expect my godfather will send one any minute, I'm sure you remember him. You know the escaped mass murdering convict."

His casual mention of his godfather had the desired effect. Vernon red face returned to a more normal puce colour and then went pale. Petunia eyes immediately scanned the front garden in case Sirius was walking up the front drive. Dudley took this opportunity to pick up the chocolate and stuff it rapidly into his mouth. His colour soon returned to its normal blotchy red and white.

"Ok now that I've got your undivided attention I'll explain what happened. Coming back from the park two Dementors attacked us and I was forced to cast a Patronus charm. The Patronus charm is the only defence against these creatures. The letters are telling me to stay in the house. They'll be another one soon informing me of a hearing because as I'm sure you know I'm not allowed to use magic outside school."

"So they could expel you then," Vernon said a hopeful glint in his eye.

"They might, but let's hope not shall we, otherwise I'll have to come back and live here full time." Vernon's face fell at the horrendous thought.

"What … what are these Dementoids anyway?"

"Aunt Petunia knows. I'm sure she tell you all about them. Don't worry they won't be back, and I intend to get the person responsible. Now I know you don't like Owls in the kitchen so I'll just go up to my room and intercept the rest of them there." With the two male Dursleys looking at Petunia as though she had grown another head with tentacles Harry took the opportunity and slipped out of the kitchen.

Entering his room he opened the window just in time to receive the second Ministry Owl shortly followed by Sirius's, and his less than helpful note. He was sure that this wouldn't be the end of it with the Dursleys, but he could handle them. His Uncle and Aunt were very predictable and easy to understand if you didn't push them too far, too quickly. At the moment all he wanted was five minutes to himself in which to try and get his head around all that had happened.

It was clear that he had come back in time. That wasn't a stretch thanks to the carnage in the time room. Why here and now he wasn't sure he was ever going to work than one out. He was and for the moment he would accept that. Somehow though he had killed himself, or maybe that was the way it had to be, after all two Harry Potter's would be a little hard to explain so one had to go.

He had changed things already so he could change things further, and with luck for the better. How could they have been any worse? A sudden thought hit him were Ron and Hermione really alive? Logic said of course they were but a nagging doubt made him want to find out for sure. He flung the lid of his trunk open and grabbed a quill, some parchment and quickly scribbled a quick message.

'_I'm fine but I need you to tell me that you are too. Just reply we're fine. That's all I need. This is very important so ignore what any adults have told you about not writing to me. I NEED TO KNOW!'_

He handed the message to Hedwig who had appeared the moment he had started writing. She took it in her beak and without a backward glance flew out the window. Somehow she had caught his sense of urgency. Harry collapsed onto the end of his bed his sudden panic over. Hedwig would find them he thought and then laughed to himself. If they didn't exist here or were dead Hedwig would never have flown off, and the fact that she had meant that they must be alive. A wave of relief swept through him rudely interrupted by a familiar yell from downstairs.

"BOY!"

No doubt this was the moment that Uncle Vernon decided that Harry should leave the house, as he realised that his presence was the reason for Dudley being attacked. It was a reasonable conclusion as it also happened to be the truth. Instead of going downstairs to listen to another rant Harry decided to stay where he was. That strange Howler was due to arrive very soon and would stop any thoughts of him being kicked out the house.

"BOY get down here now!" He knew that he shouldn't let Uncle Vernon get to him, after all there wasn't a time he could remember when the lard arse hadn't called him _boy_, but his anger at the man was becoming harder and harder to squash down. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself he chose to ignore the summons again.

There was an increase in angry muttering downstairs with the occasional bang or crash as his Uncle worked himself up into a rage. Harry's own attempts at remaining calm though were failing. All Harry could now think about were the endless injustices that the Dursleys had heaped on him over the years, and in an ever increasing upward spiral his own anger fed upon itself. If his Uncle wanted a fight he'd give the big blowhard one. The desire to hit something or somebody to release his anger was becoming irresistible.

"THAT'S IT FREAK GET OUT OF MY HOUSE." This was followed by the sound of heavy footsteps thumping up the stairs. The bedroom door was flung open slamming against the battered third hand wardrobe and an eerie calm descended over Harry. Considering what he had faced earlier an overweight middle aged Muggle, who believed that exercise was for other people, was not something to be feared.

His face bright red and breathing heavily after the rapid climb up the stairs Uncle Vernon stood in the doorway with a look of utter hatred directed at Harry. For just a moment he paused as he registered the calm faced boy in front of him, but fifteen years of having his own way swept aside any thoughts of backing down.

"All this trouble is your doing boy get out of this house and take your unnaturalness with you."

"No," Harry replied in a low quiet voice.

"NO, you dare tell me NO in my own house, get OUT! OUT!"

"No I'm staying and nothing you can do or say is going to change my mind."

"This is my house and if I want you out. Then out you go."

"I'm staying!"

"You're leaving this house even if I have to drag you out myself." There was a sudden shriek from downstairs and in the back of Harry's mind he registered the fact that the Howler must have arrived.

"You touch me and I'll hurt you," Harry said with a chill in his voice. Punching Mundungus hadn't been enough. Uncle Vernon's eyebrows rose at the threat making him hesitate for just a second. "I've had it with you. I've met some really stupid arrogant people over the last few years but few of them are in your league, Dursley."

"You dare threaten me you freak. I'll show you what normal people do to filthy scum like you and your parents." With his arms out stretched the corpulent man advanced on Harry obviously intent on grabbing him round the neck. Even though Harry's blood was pumping vigorously through his veins everything seemed to slow down for him. The insult to his parents meant that the last vestige of reason had left the smallest bedroom at number 4 Privet Drive.

With a wild sweep of his left forearm Harry knocked the slowly advancing hands to one side and then slammed his right fist into an unprepared stomach. He had learnt that hitting someone in the face hurt. Vernon's lungs deflated in a rush and he staggered off balanced half collapsing onto Harry's bed. Gasping for breath he managed to lever himself upright a manic look in his eyes. He swung blindly and missed. Harry saw it coming from a mile away and stepped back slightly with time to spare.

"Get out," Harry said pointing to the hall. Uncle Vernon though either didn't hear or chose to ignore what he had said and again launched a wild attack. With a speed that surprised even Harry, who delivered the punches, Vernon was hit three times in as many seconds, once more in the stomach, and then a left and a right to the kidneys. Vernon collapsed to the bedroom floor a dazed look on his face. Elated at his success Harry grabbed the battered man by the collar and dragged him out of the bedroom with comparative ease.

"REMEMBER MY LAST, PETUNIA," bellowed up from the kitchen. This was followed by a wail from Harry's aunt. Having dragged his Uncle to the top of the stairs he bent over so his face was inches away from the panting man.

"Your wife has a message for you," Harry hissed in his ear and then shoved him over the edge so that he slid down the top half of the steps before he ground to a halt. "And if you ever enter my room again I'll do far worse."

Closing the door of his room Harry leant against it his eyes closed, his heart pounding in his chest from the adrenaline rushing round his system. Somehow he had beaten his Uncle up even though he was twice his size and strength. Or was he? He opened his eyes and looked at his arms. Nothing seemed to be different about them, and yet he had manhandled his Uncle and cousin tonight without apparent effort.

With a sense of foreboding Harry closed the lid of his trunk full to bursting of all the stuff he had collected over four years of Wizarding School. He'd have liked to take a lot of it out but he had nowhere he could store it safely. It was a sad fact that his entire life fitted in a single trunk. He knew that it was too heavy for him to lift without the aid of magic. Dragging it up to his room had made him come out in a muck sweat when he had arrived for the summer originally. None of the Dursleys had of course offered to give him a hand.

With his arm outstretched so that he could just hold the handle straps at each end he bent his knees and attempted to lift it. When it rose effortlessly Harry nearly dropped it in shock.

He wasn't supposed to be this strong he thought. No-one was. He lowered it to the ground carefully. He sat down on his bed again alarmed at this development, and yet with a bubble of excitement as well. He should be used to the unusual by now. Ever since he had discovered the existence of magic nothing had really been normal.

He believed he understood what had happened to him. This was unusual in itself as his thinking processes were never normally this clear or quick. When he had touched his younger kissed self he had absorbed all of him. He was literally twice the person he once was. Not in weight or height but in strength and maybe intellect. Of course he couldn't prove he was twice as intelligent as before, but their might be a way he could test his theory when he saw Ron and Hermione in four nights time. The idea that he was a condensed version of two of him made him giddy with the potential prospects that lay before him.

On the down side he was going to have to repeat his fifth year which would be a pain, but he vowed that things were going to be different. He had hated it before. The lack of control, the not knowing what the hell was going on, the secrets and lies that all the adults had deemed necessary, and of course the physical and mental torture that had been inflicted on him. It all came down to the Prophecy, the Prophecy about him and Voldemort that he hadn't heard, because others had decided that he didn't need to know. He had four days until they turned up to take him to Grimmauld place where he would be treated as a small boy who should be kept in the dark like a mushroom.

Well no more.

"VERNON!" Aunt Petunia shrieked from downstairs. It appeared that his Uncle had made it to the kitchen or been spotted on the staircase. "Dudley, Dudley call an ambulance. Daddy's hurt …"

"No, no I'm fine …"

"But Vernon dear you've fallen down the stairs …" Harry thought it was time the rest of the Dursleys understood that the dynamics of the house had changed.

"Put the phone down Dudley," he barked at his cousin who had picked up the receiver. "I'm sure none of you want to answer any of the awkward questions that the authorities will demand answers to if you invite them here."

"Ignore him Dudley," Petunia said when Dudley began lowering the receiver.

"How about being forced to live under the stairs for ten years for starters," Harry said coldly.

"You wouldn't dare," she hissed back.

"Just try me, and then see what the neighbours say about your precious normal family. I saved your son from a fate worse than death, and your thug of a husband attacks me instead of getting down on his knees and thanking me. He didn't have an accident on the stairs I hit him and then threw him down them. He deserves far more for what he's done to me over the years!"

"You ungrateful wretch," Petunia screeched. "We never wanted you here. You were forced on us."

"I don't want to hear it. Know one thing if you make that call I'll tell them everything and then your life here will be over. Anyway there's nothing wrong with the fat lump of lard it's just a few minor bruises, a lot less than he's given me over the years. Keep out of my way, and I'll keep out of yours." With that Harry returned to his room and slammed the door shut.

No ambulance arrived, nor did the Dursleys leave the house that night. An uneasy peace descended over number 4 Privet Drive that lasted for the next three days. The house was de facto Harry's. If he entered a room the others would scuttle out. It didn't matter whether it was the sitting room or Dudley's bedroom. Then without informing Harry the three of them drove off to attend a fake best kept lawn competition. Harry had repacked his trunk in anticipation of the ten members of the Order of the Phoenix turning up to escort him to Headquarters.

Knowing when and how many were going to turn up Harry thought he might have a cup of tea ready for all of them, but then he remembered that Madeye was going to be one of them. Anybody that knowledgeable about a secret mission he wasn't meant to know about was bound to be cursed by the paranoid Auror as a Death Eater in disguise. Instead he settled for having his trunk on the kitchen floor with Hedwig perched atop.

The owl was still feeling very pleased with herself. Hedwig had returned the next morning, but without a note from either of his friends. It seemed that the grownups had prevented them from replying as he had asked, raising Harry's anger at them all further. Hedwig though sensing what Harry needed most had returned with a completed potions essay in Hermione's neat and precise handwriting. Every time Harry thought about it he couldn't help but chuckle. He hoped that Hermione knew what had happened to her essay, and that she hadn't had to redo it thinking she had misplaced it. Not that that would have been much of a chore for her even if she had. He just hoped she'd witnessed the theft because the look on her face as Hedwig flew off with her essay would have been priceless.

Harry was sitting in a blacked out kitchen in the far corner next to the door to the utility room. He was wearing three jumpers and pyjamas bottoms under his jeans and beginning to find it a little too warm. The memory of his frozen broom flight the first time hadn't left him and he intended to be prepared this time. With the totally lack of subtly and stealth that he had come to associate with the Wizarding World the front door was opened with a thud, and then what sounded like a hundred pairs of feet barged into the hall.

"Mind my foot," a male voice said.

"Ooh sorry," another replied. Harry recognised this one as belonging to Tonks, who as usual was stumbling about.

"Come on into the kitchen, there's not enough room in the hall for all of us. We can't risk being spotted."

"Alright, alright keep what's left of your hair on Mad-Eye," Tonks replied. There was a crash of broken crockery as the clumsy Auror knocked a cup off the draining board as she walked straight into Harry's trunk sending Hedwig squawking into the air.

"Honestly haven't any of you heard of a light switch," Harry said turning the lights on with his left hand, a large grin on his face at having caught them all out. In his right hand was his wand that was trained on the startled looking Witches and Wizards temporarily blinded by the fluorescent light. Hedwig fluttered over landing gently on the work surface to Harry's right.

"Bloody hell," Tonks said rubbing her shin and looking sheepish.

"Yeah I see what you mean, Remus," Shacklebolt said, "he looks exactly like James."

"Except his eyes," someone else said. "Lily's …"

"Alright that's enough of talking about me as though I wasn't here," Harry snapped suddenly annoyed at all of them. "Shall we dispense with the pleasantries and get going. His wand still pointing at them Harry stood up grasping his Firebolt that had been leaning on the side.

"Hold it how do we know he's not a Death Eater in disguise?" Moody said his wand trained on Harry.

"Oh for God sake," Harry sighed.

"Lower your wand boy before you get into more trouble using underage magic."

"Oh please a horde of Wizards invading my house at the dead of night. Even that idiot Fudge couldn't condemn me for using magic against any of you, so don't try and threaten me."

"Now Harry calm down," Lupin said moving between him and Moody. "Tell us what form your Patronus takes and then we can get going."

"It's a stag," Harry answered, "satisfied!" The last comment was aimed at the grizzled Auror.

"Damn right I am Potter you'd make a good Auror one day." A twisted grin formed on Moody's face, "Constant Vigilance!"

"Yea that's what Crouch told me. It's nice the real Moody agrees with him."

"Don't mention that swine to me." Then with a horrible squelching sound he pooped his fake eye out. "It's never worked properly since he used it."

"You do know that's disgusting Mad-Eye," Tonks said grimacing in disgust.

"Get us a glass of water Potter," Mad-Eye said ignoring what Tonks had said.

"The taps over there," Harry pointed not bothering to get out of his chair.

"Harry let me introduce you to Nymphadora …" Remus said.

"Don't call me that. It's Tonks, just Tonks." Watching her shudder at the sound of her full name Harry smiled. Harry had no problem with Tonks. She had never really grown up into an all knowing adult.

"Quite right too I'm sure it's been a long time since you were nymph like," Harry said failing to keep a straight face. The glare Tonks gave him was swiftly transferred to Remus who had burst out laughing.

"Settle down, settle down we're not here for a social" Mad-Eye said running his eye under the tap. "Potter why is there a lump of turf on the table."

"Oh that's to wind my relatives up when they come back."

"That was my idea you know," Tonks said turning her back on Remus who was still sniggering.

"Yea only my Uncle and Auntie would believe that there's an All England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition and they'd been short-listed, stupid idiots. I figured this would let them know I knew they'd been had."

"Well I'll put the letter I wrote telling them not to worry about you, and that you'd be back next summer next to it shall I?" Remus said.

"No let them sweat. It's about time those arses lived with a bit of fear for a change." Harry grabbed the unopened letter and placed it inside his robes. He was getting quite a collection.

"What do you mean Harry?"

"Me and dear old Uncle Vernon had a bit of a bust up. He lost badly with the result they're running scared so a bit of uncertainty will be good for them."

"What do you mean a bust up?" Moody said squeezing his eye back in. "You didn't use magic did you?"

"No just a bit of old fashioned muggle fighting."

"Harry you didn't," Remus said with a shocked expression.

"I did. He insulted my parents for the last time. Nobody calls them filthy scum and gets away with it." There was a loud intake of breath from nearly everyone there as they heard the slander against two of the people who had died at the hands of Voldemort.

"Good for you son, I'm Dedalus Diggle by the way. We've met before." Harry quickly shook the wizard's hand making him drop his violet-coloured top hat. This was the cue for a long line of introductions that Harry found as awkward and bizarre as he had the first time.

"Right the lookouts say it's clear. Time to go, if anyone's killed the rest of us keep going, and no breaking the formation," Moody barked causing Tonks to raise her eyes to the ceiling.

"Sounds like fun," Harry said grabbing his Firebolt and heading for the back garden.


	3. Grimmauld Place

**3 Grimmauld Place.**

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked as she launched herself at him. Never had Harry been so glad to see his friend and returned the hug with equal measure. A memory of her being hit by that deep purple curse flashed through his head, and his chest constricted in pain at the memory.

"Ron, Ron he's here. Harry I've looked it up and they can't expel you for defending yourself with magic. The Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage …"

"I know Hermione I know, but this isn't about being reasonable is it? I've been reading the Daily Prophet," Harry interrupted.

"Let him breathe Hermione," Ron said with a broad grin. "Bloody hell Harry you must have grown six inches."

"No I suppose it's not," Hermione answered standing back and looking at him more closely. "Ron's right you really have shot up."

"In more ways than you can imagine. It's …" He wanted to say so much seeing them alive and well in the flesh brought back all the anguish he had felt, but the words stuck in his throat.

"Oh you must be so angry with us not telling you anything Harry but we promised not to and well…"

"I understand Hermione you were told to keep me in the dark. I don't like it, but I understand."

"We didn't want to mate honest, but Dumbledore made us promise," Ron said looking anxious.

"As I said I understand, but I don't think you should make promises like that from now on," Harry said. "Oh Hermione before I forget. I've got your potions essay here." He pulled the roll of parchment out and handed it to her. It was a bit bent and creased, and there was a small tear in the top corner, but it was still very legible.

"How did you get it?" Hermione's voice went up several octaves as she snatched it out of Harry's hand. "I've been looking for it everywhere."

"She blamed me," Ron said giving Hermione a nasty glare.

"I'm sorry Ron I did apologise to you, but I worked really hard on that and then it vanished without trace."

"Sorry Hermione, Hedwig nicked it. It was my fault really I wanted to know you were both alright. I guess when you didn't answer she grabbed that instead."

"I thought Kreacher had taken it," Ron said. "He's mad and nasty enough to have done it." Hermione's eyes clouded over and a scowl appeared. "He's a complete nutter."

"He's not Ron it's just that Wizards have treated him badly, and he's been alone with that mad portrait for years. It's not his fault and Dumbledore agrees with me."

"Oh right if Dumbledore say so then it must be true," Harry snapped before he could stop himself. A surge of hatred swelled in Harry as he was reminded that Kreacher had lied to him about Sirius being at the Department of Mysteries.

"HE'S NOT ALL BLOODY KNOWING HERMIONE, IN FACT HE'S A FIRST CLASS CONTROL FREAK WHO DOESN'T GIVE A STUFF ABOUT THOSE LIVES HE'S PLAYING WITH. WELL LET ME TELL YOU I WON'T BE CONTROLLED BY HIM OR ANYBODY ELSE!"

Harry drew breath. He had promised himself that he wouldn't lose his temper and he had failed miserably, but his anger at Dumbledore had just reached an all time high. The prospect of being ignored and kept in the dark for another whole year made his insides boil with rage.

"Harry you're right out of order," Ron yelled. Harry collapsed onto the bed and placed his head in his hands not daring to look at Hermione's face.

"Hermione I'm sorry I … I shouldn't have shouted at you," he mumbled though his fingers. "It was uncalled for." A hand grasped him on the shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze.

"It's alright Harry you have every right to be angry, and perhaps we should have pressed Dumbledore more." Harry lifted his head and looked directly at Hermione and sighed. Her eyes were watery and she was biting her bottom lip.

"It wouldn't have made any difference. He wants to keep me in the dark."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"Oh trust me it's true, but I don't want to argue anymore and I don't intend to play his game anymore. The last few days have been a special kind of hell for me."

"I understand Harry I …" What ever she was about to say was interrupted when Fred and George popped in knocking Ron backwards and Hermione sideways. "Will you stop doing that!"

"Hello Harry," George said. "We thought we heard your dulcet tones."

"You don't want to keep your anger bottled up, let it out and share it with the world," Fred said beaming.

"We've been trying to listen into the meeting, but you're interfering with reception," George said.

"What's the point," Harry replied. He knew exactly what they were talking about.

"What … what are you talking about," Ron said aghast at Harry's apparent indifference. Harry paused for a moment he had spent the last three days thinking about what he was going to suggest and now was the point of no return.

"Ok you all want to join the Order of the Phoenix," there was a chorus of yes's and nods, "But they won't let you," this was followed by a lot of no's. "Well even if they asked me I wouldn't join."

"But … but why?" Ron said.

"They wouldn't listen to any of my opinions, because I'm too young and what do I know about the real world. They wouldn't give me anything to do because it would be too dangerous for an untrained wizard. Lastly I'm not prepared to follow orders from a group of people who would dismiss me despite the fact that I've faced Voldemort more times in anger than all of them put together. Just like you they all flinch at his name."

"Well what do you suggest we do?" Hermione said a calculating look on her face.

"Hogwarts is full of Death Eater wanabees and sympathisers. We deal with them. We form our own group and use whatever force is necessary to keep the school safe, and them on the run. No more Mr nice guy"

"Oh I don't know Harry," Hermione said with a worried frown.

"What do you mean by, whatever force is necessary?" George asked.

"Alright I'll lay it on the line if they break a leg we break two. If they want a fight we give them a war." All three Weasley boys looked excited at Harry's proposal. Only Hermione didn't look keen. It was no more than Harry expected. She was far more civilised than the rest of them.

"We're in," Fred and George said together.

"Me too," Ron added. All three of them then turned to look at Hermione, but before she could answer the bedroom door opened to reveal a long mane of red hair.

"Hello Harry, thought I heard you," Ginny said smiling.

"Get out Ginny," Ron said without any pretence of being polite.

"Charming!"

"I'm sorry Ginny,"

"You need to leave," Fred and George said one after the other.

"Is that right …" Ginny's face had turned bright red and she was about to let fly.

"Wait a minute," Harry said annoyed at how quickly her brothers had dismissed her. "How many people here have faced Lord Voldemort personally?" Harry then stuck up his own hand which was swiftly followed by Ginny's when he nodded at her.

"Ginny stays," Harry said with an air of finality. The memory of her fighting successfully and then dying because he had been an idiot was still too fresh.

"Now look here Harry Ginny's too young, and …" Ron started to say.

"Ron you sound like your mother," Harry said brutally. "If any of you don't like Ginny being apart of this group you can leave now."

"Yea but,"

"Harry," Fred and George began.

"No, listen you two answer me this. If you needed a third member to carry out one of your pranks who in this room would you go to first?"

"Well that would depend on …"

"Answer the damn question?"

"Oh alright,"

"Ginny."

Harry could tell that it had cost the twins to admit that. None of the other Weasleys were anything like them, thankfully, but the Ginny he had come to know over the last year had many of their attributes.

"That wasn't so hard was it," Harry said smiling indicating that Ginny should sit down. She gave him a warm smile and squeezed in by a still frowning Hermione.

"Harry I'm not sure that this is a good idea," Hermione said.

"You wouldn't be Hermione if you did, but just hear me out and I hope I can persuade you that sitting around waiting for others to solve the problem is no longer an option."

"But you're talking about attacking people, aren't you?"

"If needs be, but that's not what I want to talk about at the moment. First I want you to image Voldemort has gained power and all resistance has been crushed. What he says goes. Where do you, not me or anybody else just you stand in the new order." Harry stared intently trying to get her to see what that world would be like and where she fitted into it.

"I wouldn't," she said in a small voice.

"No you wouldn't, as a Muggleborn you would be seen as lower than a House Elf. In fact Muggles would fare better as they're beneath Voldemort's notice. You though would be considered a threat to the new order because you can do magic. Are you going to let that happen if you can do anything to prevent it?"

"No of course not Harry you know me better than that."

"Yes I do, in fact we all do." The four Weasleys gave her an encouraging grin, but the worried frown refused to leave her face.

"But what can we do, and what you're suggesting …"

"To be honest at the moment I'm not sure what we can do. I've only been thinking about this for a few days. However what's the first thing that has to change in this phoney war?" A hushed silence filled the room and Harry let them think. The answer was obvious to him, but then he had advanced knowledge.

"Well I guess it has to stop being phoney as you put it," Ron said.

"Yes but how?" Harry said.

"I don't know."

"People need to know that You-Know-Who's back," Ginny said with a grim look.

"Not quite," Harry said. "At the moment nobody wants to believe he's back, so the more you tell them the harder they'll refuse to listen. What's needed is for him to be seen by credible witnesses, or at least enough people that it can't be covered up."

"Merlin you don't want much do you," George said.

"Do you have a plan to achieve that?" Fred asked.

"No not yet. Somehow, and I don't quite know how we have to lure him out. That should be our main gaol."

"In the meantime we make life as hard as possible for his supporters," Ron added.

"And all those who are covering up any evidence of his return." Harry had Umbridge in mind when he said this, but he couldn't admit as much just yet. "What do you think Hermione?"

"It all sounds great in theory Harry, but I think you're underestimating how difficult and probably dangerous this is going to be. If You-Know-Who doesn't want to be found I don't see what we can do about it. I mean we're in an unplottable house with a Fidelius charm at the moment, who knows what he's capable of on top of that."

"Then we need to entice him out," Ginny said.

"Oh that's going to be so easy to do," Ron said sarcastically.

"Shut up Ron," she snapped back.

"Actually I know exactly what he wants," Harry said quietly ending the sibling spat before it had really begun. All five of them began talking at once with the result that Harry didn't hear a coherent sentence, but it was obvious what they were asking. Harry though never had a chance to reply as the bedroom door swung open at that moment revealing Mrs Weasley.

"Ah there you all are, catching up I see, that's good. The meetings over and I need you all to help set things up for dinner."

When nobody made to move straight away she added clapping her hands. "Come on chop, chop." Harry was the first to stand up and reluctantly the others followed suit. Harry knew that they were desperate to find out what Voldemort wanted but they'd have to wait. In fact one part of him enjoyed the fact that he knew something they didn't. It made a change. Halfway down the stairs there was a loud crash, a muffled curse and then all hell broke loose

"_Filth! Scum! Mudblood whores dishonouring …" _On and on went the tirade. Harry had heard it all before and blocked it out, instead he concentrated on the approaching figure of his Godfather that he had stupidly rushed off to rescue when there was no need and got his friends killed as a result. He barely noticed Sirius roar at his mother's picture and yank the curtains closed. A fresh wave of guilty and horror swept through him as he remembered the trap he had fallen in. This was followed by a fresh determination not to let it happen again.

"Hello Harry I see you've met my mother."

"Sirius it's good to see you," Harry answered with a weak smile. "I thought my relatives were bad!"

"Fortunately, unlike family, we can choose our friends, and in your parents I had none better. Come on through into the kitchen so I can see you better." He was greeted by more Weasleys and Tonks who was trying to help prepare dinner much to the exasperation of Molly.

"Sit down dear, you've had a long trip," she said. Only when he was settled at the table did he notice the bundle of rags opposite him.

"You've met Mundungus before?" Sirius said when he saw Harry looking at the sleeping man who gave a snore before jerking awake.

"Some'n say m'name?"

"Oh yes we've met," Harry said coolly his anger at the man still present.

"Eh ... right … blimey you alright Harry?" The petty thief was sporting an impressive bruise and Harry couldn't help feel a sense of pride that he had been the one to put it there.

"I'm fine Mundungus nobody's tried to kill me in days. Nice bruise by the way." Mundungus lifted a tobacco stained hand up to his cheek and winced when he touched the bruise.

"Ah well … I owe you an apology 'arry," he said pulling out a pipe, "but I 'ad a business opportunity see and well …"

"Why are you here?" Harry asked a chill in his voice. An uneasy quiet descended on the kitchen as their attention was drawn to the confrontation. The colour drained from Mundungus's face and the pipe vanished back inside his grubby cloak.

"Well I'm having a bite to eat," he said cautiously. "Hungry work being in the Order. Don't have a lot of time …" Harry cut him off.

"Really you work for the Order do you? I've seen precious little sign of that. If you're not abandoning your post with the result that my cousin and I are nearly killed, you're falling asleep through the meetings waking up just in time to eat."

"Yea … well … I know I messed up 'arry but it was a once in a lifetime …"

"Who's lifetime, mine or yours?" Harry's had raised his voice and all the occupants of the kitchen were watching on in various states of surprise. Only Molly had a broad smile on her face.

"Now look …"

"Don't you have some stolen toads or cauldrons to see to?"

"Um …"

"Why don't you leave, or do you want a matching bruise to go along with the other one I gave you." There were several gasps around the room but Harry didn't see where they came from, or cared, as he had locked eyes on Mundungus. The thief pushed his chair back and stood up.

"Right … um … I'd better be going, people to see and places to …" his voice faded away and in a blink of an eye he had vanished.

"Blimey Harry you punched him!" Ron said a look of shock and pride on his face. "He said he got it in a bar fight."

"Well if I hadn't Mrs Figg would have done," Harry answered.

The result of this confession was that his plate was heaped to overflowing by Molly, but he didn't mind because even though he'd had free range of the Dursley house over the last few days he still hadn't eaten as much as he could have. His mind had been on other things than mere food. Stuffed to bursting he pushed away the remains of his third bowl of rhubarb crumble feeling as full as he could ever remember being.

"Another bowl Harry?"

"No thanks Mrs Weasley. I only have fourths of treacle tart." Molly gave him a warm smile and headed into the kitchen with a stack of dirty dishes levitated in front of her.

"I'm surprised at you Harry," Sirius said next to him as soon as Molly was out of sight. "I would have thought you would have been asking questions about Voldemort the moment you got here." The temperature in the room dropped by several degrees, and all conversation died away as the new chillier atmosphere took over. People were now sitting upright where before they had been quietly comatose from overeating.

"I don't need to. I know exactly what he wants."

"You what!" Sirius said. All the remaining adults were looking at each other as though one of them was going to admit to telling Harry what he wasn't meant to know.

"I know exactly what he wants."

"But how?" Harry never got a chance to answer as a whirlwind blew in from the kitchen and descended on Fred and George in the form of an outraged Mrs Weasley.

"I have had it with you two, and your … your ear things…"

"I knew before I even got here Mrs Weasley," Harry said hoping to cut her off before she got into her stride. Immediately the twin's expressions turned from fearful to indignant at being falsely accused.

"But how?" Sirius asked.

"I just do," Harry answered. He had no intention of being specific. The last thing he needed was more bloody Occlumency lessons with Snape. They hadn't worked the first time, and there was no reason whatsoever to think that they would work this time. Besides he had a load of memories that didn't want to be seen.

"Just what exactly do you know?" Lupin asked with a guarded expression.

"I know he wants the prophecy stored in the Department of Mysteries."

To Harry's increasing anger it was clear from the adults first reaction that all of them knew exactly what they were guarding. Dumbledore had told everybody but him, even though the prophecy had his name on it.

"It's very late and I think it's time for everybody to go to bed," Mrs Weasley said filling in the deafening silence. "There's a lot still left to do if we want to make this house even halfway habitable." Harry stood up, but he was the only one who did the rest were staring at Harry with stunned expressions.

"Before I go I want to make it clear that I'd like to know what the Prophecy says as well considering that it involves me and Voldemort. I'm sure Dumbledore can arrange that even if he is persona-non grata at the Ministry these days." There were gasps from all of his friends.

He knew if he stayed the questioning would inevitable lead to how he knew all this, and he wasn't prepared to answer, not for anything. He had only reached the bottom of the stairs before there was a cacophony of noise from the dinning room. The one voice that was clearly winning was Mrs Weasley's who was demanding that everybody should go to bed. Harry knew full well that she would eventually win the argument, and didn't linger, instead opting to get to the bathroom first for a change. He knew that his and Ron's room would be invaded in due time, especially by the apparating twins. On the way back to his room he saw all five of them were leaning over the banisters trying to listen in with some Extendable Ears.

"Any luck," he asked making them all jump because they were too busy concentrating on listening.

"No mum's blocked us out again," George said in disgust.

"Well I shouldn't worry all they'll do is decide that they should talk to Dumbledore. You don't need to listen in for that."

"So do you think Dumbledore will let you hear this prophecy?" Ron asked eagerly.

"Well he didn't tell me when I didn't know it existed, so why should he tell me now when I do?" When none of them answered him he continued. "Look I don't expect him to do or say anything. He'll hope I'll go away, and the others will just change the subject if any of us bring it up. I'll have to find a way to get it myself, because I don't trust them to keep it safe with the likes of Mundungus guarding it."

"Harry I'm sure he has plenty of protections on it. This is Dumbledore we're talking about," Hermione said.

"I'm sorry Hermione look at his track record. The Philosopher Stone, all those traps yet we managed to get through them. It would have been safer in his desk draw, but no, he had to tell half the staff what was going on. He wasn't much help in finding the Chamber was he, and he couldn't keep an escaped convict out of the school even with a hundred Dementors to help him, and don't get me started on the whole Goblet of Fire balls up."

"Harry we're stronger for having him on our side. You shouldn't cut him out."

"He's the one cutting me out Hermione. Despite everything that's happened I've not heard one single bloody word from him since the end of last term. I said it before he's not all knowing. If we want to know what's going on we'll have to find out by our own endeavours, and not from crumbs dropped from his table."

"All very well mate," Fred said, "but unless you can find out a way to penetrate those charms we'll not hear even hear crumbs."

"Well I do have an idea," Harry said glad to be off the subject of Dumbledore. Even thinking about the man brought up deep feelings of anger and betrayal. "Instead of trying to break the Charm why not try and record the meeting from the inside, and then later we can listen to what was said. I assume that there is such a thing as a magical recorder?"

"Of course there is Harry," Hermione said.

"The only trouble is that the smallest one on the market is still the size of a Quaffle," George said.

"Hiding one won't be easy, and any attempt to use magic to do so would be discovered in the blink of an eye as all magic leaves a trace," Fred added.

"Could it be transfigured into a book or something?" Ginny asked.

"No, that would stop it from being a magical recorder," Hermione said.

"Well there is one place that Wizards never look up or clean," Harry said with a grin. "What we do is stuff one up the chimney."

"Brilliant!" Ron said.

"I must admit it has a certain simplicity," Hermione said.

"That's me simple Harry. I reckon we could do the same at Hogwarts too."

"I don't know though Harry most of the fires at Hogwarts are used. It wouldn't take long for someone to realise why their chimney is blocked."

"Hmm … well we'll give it some thought. Let's see if we can bug the one here first of all, and if we can shrink the size of the recorder then we'll have more options."

"Bug … what do you mean bug?" all four Weasleys asked at once.

Harry and Hermione never got the chance to explain as the door below opened letting Mrs Weasley out, Fred and George apparated away, much quieter than usual, leaving the rest to creep back to their rooms as quietly as possible.


	4. Hearing for the Deaf

**4 Hearing for the Deaf.**

Harry had wanted to get to the Ministry as early as possible, but despite his best efforts he hadn't been able to persuade Mr Weasley that it would be fine to flue there. The whole idea of 'going the muggle way' had been pointless as far as he was concerned the first time round. To Mr Weasley it was the event of his year. That said it was difficult not to enjoy his fascination with everything muggle. His childish glee at everything he saw lightened Harry's mood at the ordeal he was about to face. For the last few days he had thought long and hard about the hearing and how he was going to handle it this time. In the end doing nothing different seemed like a wasted opportunity to him.

If he left it all for Dumbledore, like he had last time, he would be able to return to Hogwarts with his wand intact, but his reputation stained by false accusations. Stirring things up on the other hand carried a potential risk of him losing the hearing. Then being expelled, and having his wand snapped. He didn't care about being expelled he had already done the year and there was nothing new to learn. However there was one thing he was absolutely certain about his wand was special. If he'd had any other wand he would have died in the graveyard, so the risk of having it snapped was enormous. That was also why he had his invisibility cloak with him tucked inside his jacket. If the worst came to the worst then he would fight his way out if need be and damn the consequences. He'd probably fail, but the time for half measures was long gone. Besides if things went his way he had other plans that included the cloak.

It hadn't been difficult to give Mr Weasley the slip he was so easily distracted. Reaching courtroom ten had been remarkably easy. Security at the Ministry seemed to consist of a bored security wizard called Eric and nothing else. He drew in a deep breath to calm his nerves, turned the heavy iron door handle, and pushed it wide open so it slammed against the wall with a satisfying bang.

"You're late," a cold harsh voice said as he strode into the courtroom.

"No I'm not," "Harry answered clearly while glancing at his watch. "In fact I'm three hours and ten minutes early. I was told Madame Bones was down here. I was hoping to have the hearing bought forward. I've got other things to do today." "The time was changed. An owl was sent this morning."

"Really! Can you prove that?"

For a moment Fudge was struck dumb by Harry's sudden counter attack. In front of him was the entire Wizengamot dressed in all their finery. The few faces he could see, due to the poor lighting, were all staring down at him with a wide range of expressions on them, from severe scowls to a couple of smiles, a large section were of shocked surprise at his response.

"An owl was sent. It is not the Wizengamot's fault if you did not receive it. Now take your seat."

"No I'm sure nothing's your fault Minister, not even a wayward ministry owl. I expect Weatherby over there forgot to send it. He is after all a well known incompetent," Percy's face went bright red and Harry wasn't sure if it was in anger or embarrassment at being misnamed. To be honest he didn't care. Percy had proved himself to be a complete arse and suck up.

"Sit down Mr Potter the Wizengamot doesn't have time to waste."

Harry walked over to the chain covered chair but instead of sitting on it he placed a small black box on the seat that he removed from his robes. He had activated it outside the courtroom with a touch from his wand. To do so in full view of the Court would have been pushing his luck and that only stretched so far. Satisfied that it was working properly he moved behind the chair and rested his hands on the back of it and faced the Wizengamot.

"Really it appears to have plenty of time for a simple case of justified underage magic. There must be more important things for you to do."

"I told you to sit down Mr Potter."

"I'm fine right here thank you Minister. I prefer to stand this shouldn't take long so shall we get on."

"What is that?" Amelia Bones boomed out her finger pointing at the box.

"Oh that's the latest magical recording device, much more reliable than some moron with a quill and parchment. No chance of any deliberate mistakes being made," Harry said with a broad smile enjoying what was now definitely anger on Percy's face.

"Interesting I must get some for the Department. It looks much more practical than what we use at the moment. It looks portable enough to be used in the field. I wonder if you could tell me …"

"Amelia please we must get on," Fudge said with forced politeness.

"I'm so sorry Cornelius, please go ahead." There was no mistaking the lack of friendship between them.

"Mr Potter remove that … that device."

"No."

"That wasn't a request Mr Potter."

"I'm not removing it Minister. I need a proper record of this trial so that the facts are not misrepresented. Don't assume that I don't know what you are up to Minister, or are you afraid of the truth?" Harry gave a fake chuckle. "Sorry that was silly of me of course you are. You're scared witless."

"You see …," Fudge said addressing all those around him, "you see this is what I've been telling you the boy is living in his own personnel fantasy world."

"Voldemort is back Fudge. Denying it doesn't make it any less true, nor does shooting the messenger." Harry said an edge to his voice. "Now shouldn't we get back to this kangaroo court?"

"Come on Cornelius I have things to do, let him have the recording device," Madame Bones snapped. Fudge glared at Harry and Madame Bones, and it was clear he wanted to say more, but in the end he backed down. First blood to me Harry thought.

"Very well let us begin."

Harry tuned out all the legal speak and introductions. He tried to take a closer look at some of the individuals arrayed before him. Few of them were prepared to look him in the eye for any length of time which he found encouraging. Umbridge of course was the exception. The mere idea that she could be in the wrong or feel guilty for her actions was alien to her. He could feel the anger that was always present bubbling over just at the mere sight of her pudgy self satisfied face. It was not going to be like before. He was going to make damn sure of that. The back of his hand was scar free and he intended to keep it that way.

"Mr Potter I asked you a question?"

"Sorry I switched off there for a moment the tubby little lady there challenged me to a staring contest. What was the question?" Fudge glanced quickly at Umbridge, who was turning a Vernon shade of puce at Harry's casual insult, before returning his attention back to him.

"You are Harry James Potter, of number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey?"

"No," Harry replied returning Fudge's glare with interest.

"I beg your pardon."

"I stay there about a month a year. Less if I'm lucky. Hogwarts is my main residence." Fudge just gave a low growl knowing he was being played with, and refused to take the bait.

"You received a warning three years ago for using illegal magic, did you not?"

"It was a case of mistaken identity. No-one bothered to follow it up and check my wand so I guess it was an admin error."

"Oh I see so you're claiming someone else used your wand to cast a …" here he paused to look at the parchment in his hand, "a hover charm."

"No one used my wand a house elf called Dobby came to the house and did a hover charm without the aid of a wand. If I'd known you were going to ask me about all that I would have brought him with me to explain."

"A house elf in a muggle house is that the best excuse you can come up with."

"Are you accusing me of lying Minister?" Harry answered in a tone that made it clear that he was insulted.  
"You expect this court to believe a random house elf pops into your house, and then cast a hover charm."

"Oh Dobby wasn't a random house elf he was Lucius Malfoy's. He's a free elf now, and very happy as well. Nobody beats him up anymore or tells him to slam his head in the oven door. I'm sure it wouldn't take too long to get him here to confirm my story. He works at Hogwarts, for pay now."

"Yet more tall stories from you Mr Potter. Lucius Malfoy is a highly respectable member of the Wizarding community. His good works are well known. Anymore wild accusations from you Mr Potter and I'll have you in contempt."

"He has the Dark Mark on his forearm and was present at the resurrection of Voldemort. As far as I'm concerned there's nothing the least respectable about that. In fact I'd go so far as to say it's contemptible in fact."

"Enough of these blatant lies did you or did you not conjure a Patronus on the night of the second of August?"

"I did indeed," Harry said.

"Knowing you were in an area full of Muggles."

"There weren't any Muggles around at the time, just my cousin who is fully aware that magic exists."

"You produced a fully-fledged Patronus?" Madame Bones boomed out.

"I did."

"A corporeal Patronus?"

"Indeed. It's a stag always a stag. Professor Lupin taught me over a year ago. He's the best teacher we ever had."

"Impressive, and you're only fifteen I believe."

"I had my birthday a few days ago," Harry answered warming to the loud woman as Fudge seemed ready to explode at yet another interruption.

"Very impressive …"

"It doesn't matter how impressive the magic is … was. In fact that makes it worse," Fudge shouted. "He did this in plain view of a Muggle." A number of heads began nodding in vigorous agreement.

"No I didn't. Dudley was incapable of seeing anything at the time as a Dementor was attempting to suck out his soul, and he had his eyes and mouth tight shut. First time he's ever taken my advice on anything."

"Dementor?" Madame Bones said after a stunned silence that hung heavily in the courtroom.

"Two actually."

"Dementors in Little Whinging?"

"Yes, yes very convenient. I thought we'd be hearing something like this. Muggles can't see Dementors can they," Fudge said smirking unpleasantly.

"But what would they be doing in Little Whinging?" Madame Bones said frowning.

"Well I guess someone sent them to kill me," Harry said coldly knowing who and why.

"Absolute nonsense we would have a record of two Dementors being ordered to patrol Little Whinging."

"Not if they were taking orders from someone else."

"The Dementors are fully under the control of the Ministry," Fudge shouted.

"Well in that case it is clear that someone at the Ministry sent them," Harry replied.

"Hem, hem." Harry's blood pressure rose.

"The chair recognises Delores Umbridge."

"I'm sure I must have misunderstood you Mr Potter, but it sounded like you are suggesting that the Ministry ordered an attack on you." The odious witch then gave her trademark girlish laugh that sent a cold shiver of revulsion down Harry's spine.

"Oh I didn't say the Ministry as a whole ordered an attack, just someone in the Ministry. Why I'm sure someone like you for instance could _fudge_ the records. Just so you could silence me, and the unpleasant fact that Voldemort is back."

Harry took vindictive pleasure in the mental slap he had given the hideous creature. For a brief moment her eyes widen and her jaw dropped in shock, before she recovered her composure.

"The Dementors are fully under the control of the Ministry," Fudge repeated red faced, and through clenched teeth his temper barely under control. "They do everything that is asked of them.

"If that's the truth Minister then I must charge the Ministry with five counts of attempted murder. The latest attack in August makes it the fourth time that Dementors have tried to kill me personally. The attempted murder of my cousin at the same time brings it up to five."

"This is outrageous Potter. I warned you about making unfounded allegations," Fudge bellowed all attempts at restraint gone.

"I'll tell you what is outrageous Fudge is you thinking that sending a hundred Dementors to guard a school is a sane idea," Harry bellowed back. "Three times that year they tried to kill me, and they were apparently sent to protect me from Sirius Black who never laid a finger on me. Their second attempt was in front of hundreds of witnesses so don't you sit there telling me what is outrageous. The Ministry has as much control over the Dementors as the Dementors are willing to give, which from where I stand is damn little."

"HOW DARE YOU!"

"HOW DARE YOU. I told you after murder attempt number three that Sirius Black was innocent, but you ignored that, didn't you. Didn't like the thought of what that could mean that the Ministry had yet again made a mistake. You couldn't wait to see a man who never even got the basic right of a trial from this august body given the kiss."

"Then this year you were in a total panic to silence Barty Crouch junior in case he told you Voldemort was back. You couldn't have that could you? Oh no you might have to do something about it. You might actually have to earn your pay and privileges. I mean that's what this farce is all about isn't it? Let's curse the messenger giving out the bad news, and then the problem will go away. Voldemort's out there right now laughing his head off at your cowardice and bumbling incompetence."

Harry could feel his face burning at the rage he was feeling for Fudge, and the blind sheep in the Wizengamot. Only the fact that he was grasping the back of the chair in a death grip prevented him from strangling the Minister in person. He had told himself before hand that he wasn't going to have a rant, but he'd failed. His anger had got the better of him, yet again.

"I think perhaps that it is time for a vote Madame Bones," a calmer voice said from behind Harry. "It is quite clear that Harry was defending himself from Dementors and I have a witness outside to confirm their presence if any of you doubt this."

Harry had no idea when Dumbledore had slipped into the courtroom, but he resisted the urge to turn around and look back at him. Harry knew he shouldn't have lost his temper these people were quite capable of finding him guilty just because he had been rude and disrespectful. Despite the fact that everything he had said was the truth. Thankfully the vote went much the same way as it had the first time and he was cleared of all charges.

"Mr Potter has raised many questions that the Wizengamot should investigate further," Dumbledore said once the vote had been taken.

"Save your breath Professor," Harry said loudly so everyone would hear. He picked up his recording device, and headed for the door without looking at him. "There are none as deaf, as those who will not hear."

He then opened the door of the courtroom, stepped out, turned off the recording device, and vanished under his invisibility cloak all in a matter of seconds. He wanted the prophecy, and now was as good a time as ever to get it. Mrs Figg and Arthur Weasley were so engrossed in talking with each other, further down the corridor, that they never heard him slide past as he headed up for level nine and the entrance to the Department of Mysteries.

He would have liked to have taken the stairs up to level nine at a run, but long experience at Hogwarts had shown that this was virtually impossible to do under an invisibility cloak, and not be detected.

His slower progress as it turned out probably prevented him from being discovered as he reached the ninth level corridor. Still invisible he saw the back of a man he recognised instantly. The shocking white hair was a clear give away. Lucius Malfoy was standing right outside the entrance to the Department of Mysteries. Harry's first instinct was to cut the man down once more. He resisted the temptation when he remembered why daddy ferret was here. The name Bode sprung into his mind.

Retrieving the prophecy had been Harry's initially aim, but with an Imperiused Bode under the control of Malfoy that could prove to be problematical. As he crept up behind him Harry wondered briefly if this was a good idea. The opportunity though was too good to pass up, and the blood was still coursing through him from the supposed hearing.

The ideal would be to disarm him without using magic, as it would lessen any potential complications. With his apparent increased strength it shouldn't be too difficult. All it needed was a hard kick to the back of his knees to knock him off balance, followed by a punch or two to the side of his head. Harry was no more than four feet away when Malfoy let out a muffled curse and turned away from the Department of Mysteries door so that he faced Harry.

"Damn and blast Bode," Malfoy muttered under his breath turning away from the door. Harry stopped moving and realised that Bode must have touched the prophecy and was now a gibbering wreck in the Hall of Prophecy. It would be months before he would be coherent enough to claim that Malfoy had put him under the Imperius curse, and there was no certainty that he wouldn't be murdered in his bed before then. Harry made a decision on the spot he would have to tell a white lie. Well not a white lie, a whooping great big one.

Harry whipped off his cloak letting it fall to the ground. In the blink of an eye he had closed the remaining distance and slammed his fist into the blonde mans stomach. Malfoy though was not Uncle Vernon. The most exercise Uncle Vernon did in a day was walk to his car or the fridge if Aunt Petunia wasn't there to fetch and carry for him. Malfoy on the other hand was in better shape. Whether it was by magic or good honest physical exercise Harry couldn't hope to guess. The result was that Malfoy didn't go down into an immobile gasping heap.

He was though bent over double up in pain from the blow but despite that Malfoy's wand flicked towards Harry and a weak yellow curse clipped his left arm. Harry ignored the numb feeling that suddenly affected his elbow and he lashed out again. This time his clenched fist connected with the side of Malfoy's head sending him rolling across the floor away from Harry.

Enraged by being punched not once, but twice, he cast another wordless spell forcing Harry to dive to the floor. The wall behind him erupted into a shower of pulverised plaster leaving an ugly curved scar. Instead of sending another one straight away at Harry Malfoy started to stand up, perhaps because he thought fighting on the ground was beneath his dignity. An arrogance Harry was going to make him pay for dearly. Blood pounding through his veins he launched himself across the corridor scrambling on all fours as he did so. Dignity be damned.

Seeing him coming Malfoy again swung his wand round at an impressive speed the point aimed directly at his head. Harry was a shade faster, and with his right hand, the other wasn't moving well thanks to a spreading numbness, he grabbed the man's wrist and twisted hard pointing the wand away so the curse slammed into the ceiling covering them both in a cloud of plaster dust. Malfoy yelled out in pain and dropped the wand when his fingers let go involuntarily.

Harry sensed rather than heard a group of people behind him, but that didn't stop him ramming his forehead into the bridge of Malfoy's nose which gave way. Semi stunned the Death Eater landed on his back clutching at his ruined bloody face. Harry felt a little dazed as well from the contact and allowed himself to land with both knees on Malfoy's stomach expelling the remaining air from his lungs.

"What is the meaning of this?" a female voice boomed out and Harry gave an internal sigh of relief. Madame Bones would at least give him the time of day before carting him off to Azkaban, unlike Fudge or Umbridge. As he made to stand up he made sure his eyes never left the red faced and currently speechless Death Eater. Harry held onto his left arm that was starting to cause him some real concern at the speed the numbness was spreading from his elbow. Already he could barely move his fingers and his shoulder was starting to seize up.

"He used the Imperius curse on me Madame Bones, but he forgot that I can shake it off. He was after all in the graveyard when Voldemort tried it on me and failed."

"That's a serious charge Mr Potter." Harry turned his head slightly to look the head of the Department of Law Enforcement direct in the eye.

"Check his wand. I'm sure that'll show you what he been up to including the other three curses he used. It's over there," he said pointing to the floor inches away from Malfoy. Madame Bones hesitated for a moment as she tried to grasp the enormity of she had just been told and partly witnessed.

"He's lying," Malfoy gasped on the floor finally have regained some of the power of speech. "He attacked me … from behind … unprovoked."

"I didn't even use my wand," Harry replied handing his wand over to Madame Bones. "The last spell I used was the Patronus charm." Amelia Bones took Harry's wand and with her own drew out a tiny figure of Harry's Patronus stag onto her hand.

"Impressive Mr Potter truly impressive," she said handing it back to him. "I think I'll look at Mr Malfoy's wand now," she added glancing at the damage to the wall and ceiling.

A look of desperation suddenly crossed Malfoy's face. He made a lunge to grab his wand only to feel two of his fingers break as a foot smashed into his outstretched hand. Harry not caring about any witnesses, and what they thought, swung his foot again and kicked him in the face for good measure. Then to make sure he didn't move again he placed a foot heavily on his neck.

"A little excessive Mr Potter," Amelia Bones said, but there was no condemnation in her voice. He kept his foot exactly where it was. She summoned Malfoy's wand and began a quick diagnostic her frown deepening at each spell she revelled. Pocketing Malfoy's wand she then sent a Patronus off up the corridor so quickly that Harry wasn't sure what it was. "You're holding your arm Mr Potter did one of the curses hit you."

"Yea the first one, it was yellow. I didn't recognise it."

"It was a paralysing curse and borderline dark Mr Potter. I'll perform a counter curse that'll stop it spreading. Then I'll get a professional to remove it permanently when I take a statement from you in my office."

"What would happen if you didn't?"

"You'd die Mr Potter, and a very nasty slow painful death it would be too," she said with a look of disgust at the prone man. She muttered an incantation and Harry's arm felt better. It was still numb but the creeping paralysis was gone.

"He has the Dark Mark you know."

"Yes I'm well aware of that. He claimed it was forced on him under the Imperius curse when he was first captured after the fall of Voldemort. I've read his file and those of others like him."

"Look at the Mark and tell me you don't think he's back."

"I don't need to Mr Potter I believe you now, but things are never that simple I'm afraid." His retort of 'they should be' died on Harry's lips as he heard a pompous voice that he knew all too well, and was beginning to hate with a passion.

"Make way there, make way there, the Minister needs to get through."

Turning around Harry saw the red hair of Percy trying to get through a huge crowd of Wizengamot member that he noticed fully for the first time. Malfoy sifted under his foot making him increase the pressure on his neck. Fudge in a failed attempt to look important had placed his green bowler hat back on his head, but all it did to Harry was make him look more ridiculous than usual.

"What's the hold up," Fudge said walking into the back of Percy who had stopped dead when he saw Harry with his foot on Malfoy's neck. It proved to Harry, if nothing else did, that the Wizarding world was made up of mostly sheep with a few wolves. Malfoy had friends amongst the crowd he was sure, yet they all stood by waiting for someone else to act first.

"I've caught a Death Eater red handed Minister. He tried to kill me." Fudge looked down and instantly recognised Malfoy, but then that wasn't difficult. Harry was reminded of some of the cartoons he had managed to watch when the Dursleys had abandoned him in the house for a few hours when little. He fully expected steam to blast out of his ears and his hat to fly up to the ceiling as though on top of a geyser.

"You'll go to Azkaban for this Potter," he shouted, "You're insane, mad …"

"CORNELIUS!" Madame Bones bellowed making Harry imagine the bowler hat was now whipping down the corridor caught up in a gale of epic proportions. Unfortunately the hat stayed on the mans head. He had tried to keep his face neutral but the victory smile broke through at the stunned look on Fudge's face. He didn't believe that the arrest of Malfoy would change many opinions on the return of Voldemort, but seeds of doubts had been planted, and best of all Malfoy was banged to rights. He might buy his way out of trouble, and if he did it was going to be mega expensive, but his reputation was shot for good.

"Lucius Malfoy has just attempted to murder Harry Potter in the Ministry of Magic, and on top of that used an Unforgivable on him. When I have finished my investigations I will send you a report. Should I deem it necessary of course."

The sound of running footsteps distracted Harry and he saw four Aurors heading towards them. He only recognised Shacklebolt, but didn't acknowledge the fact as he wasn't meant to know him. "Take him to holding cell number one and put a two man guard on him. He's a high risk prisoner take no chances. No-one, but no-one gets to see him without my personnel say so. Mr Potter I suggest you let him up he seems to be turning blue."

Harry removed his foot from Malfoy's neck taking vindictive pleasure in a bright red mark on his neck. He hoped it would leave a vivid bruise over the next few days reminding him of his humiliation, and sudden fall from grace. Bending down he grabbed his invisibility cloak, which fortunately was right beside him, and stuffed it inside his jacket, grateful at how small it packed down. He then grabbed the front of Malfoy's robes and yanked him roughly to his feet so his ear was an inch away from his mouth.

"I'll make you a promise. Draco gets one chance, and only one chance, if he rubs me the wrong way anymore than that, I'll make his life a bloody misery and blame you for it," he hissed in his ear. "Oh, and tell him that it's a promise, not a threat. I leave those to Malfoys." Malfoy, his smashed nose streaming blood down his face and in obvious pain from the damage Harry had inflicted, glared at him with utter loathing.

"You'll get yours Potter," he whispered splitting blood over Harry.

"Not today I won't, say hi to the Dementors for me," Harry replied slamming Malfoy's body one handed into the wall when he tried to break free.

"I'll take him from here Mr Potter," a deep baritone behind him said.

"Don't give him an inch he's a slippery bastard this one, almost snake like the why he wriggles out of things," Harry said locking eyes with Malfoy. Harry knew that if they ever met again there'd be precious few words spoken before they tried to kill each other.

I'd like to thank all those that have and will take the time to leave a review I know it's easy not to bother. I'm loathed to answer some of the inevitable questions you have as I consider most of the answers to be spoilers. The must common question, as usual is the shipping one. There will be no specific relationship in this fic. It is not necessary to the plot and nothing divides the fan-fiction community than who ends up with Harry and I don't want to turn people away.

That said I have an ending in mind hinting at what's to come that will probably please no-one but won't upset anyone either. I hope that's nice and cryptic for you.


	5. Interruptions

**5 Interruptions.**

The rest of the summer holidays passed without further incident, well apart from the impromptu wild party that Fred, George, and Ginny threw when they heard what he had done to Lucius Malfoy. The Daily Prophet though was thunderously silent about the whole thing and Harry's hearing. The bad mouthing of Dumbledore and himself though continued with even greater vengeance.

Through the Order Harry learnt with that Lucius was now residing in Azkaban. A quick and quiet trial had been held within hours it appeared and the whole thing quickly swept under the carpet. Wizarding justice seemed to have reached an all time low, and in Harry's opinion the adults were again failing. His trust in all of them had gone. It didn't matter to him which side they were on, or what strategy they were following.

He realised that he had a choice. Sit back, like he was doing at the moment on the Hogwarts express and watch things fall apart, or do something about it. It wasn't a very difficult decision. Ever since he had time travelled followed by the Dementor attack he had felt an inner restlessness. For good or bad he was going to follow his road and no-one else's, and he was going to start the trek with a friend he hadn't met yet.

"Oh hey Harry," Neville said nervously, "everywhere seems to be full." The nervous boy was once more hovering outside the compartment occupied by Luna Lovegood.

"Plenty of room in here Neville," Harry answered with a broad smile.

"Yea well …"

"Don't worry about Luna she's ok," Harry said.

"I didn't realise you knew her Harry," Ginny said from behind him making him jump. He had only recently noticed her apparent knack for appearing suddenly out of no where.

"Well I don't really, but I've seen her around. Being odd isn't necessarily a bad thing. Look at me."

Ginny laughed. "You're not odd Harry you're unique just like the rest of us, however unlike the rest of us I think Luna sees the world differently, or maybe she sees a different world. It's a little hard to tell sometimes."

Harry slid the compartment door open and entered taking the seat opposite the blonde girl who was of course reading the Quibbler upside down.

"Hello you're Luna Lovegood," Harry said remembering her previous greeting to him. Luna peered over the top of the paper a look of surprise that she had been spoken to never mind recognised.

"Yes I know, and you're Harry Potter," she replied lowering the paper and twisting her head to one side as though inspecting him from a different angle would reveal some deep hidden secret.

"I am indeed. Now I believe your father runs that fine magazine you're reading." Luna's face lit up at Harry's praise for the completely barmy magazine.

"Daddy will be pleased to hear that you like it."

"Well I think he might be even happier with what I want to give him." Harry said pulling out of his bag the small black recorder he had used at the hearing along with a pair of headphones. "I have copies so this is his to keep. I would like him to publish it word for word."

"Oh well I don't know. Daddy only publishes really important stories. The ones the Ministry doesn't want you to know about."

"That's good to hear because the Ministry is pretending that this didn't happen and," Harry reached inside his bag once more at this point and came up a roll of parchment, "here is a statement about what happened a few minutes later."

Luna's protruding eyes nearly popped out of her head as she began reading Harry's slightly altered version of the truth.

"Lucius Malfoy tried to kill you?" she blurted out in what would be a normal shout of shock for anyone else, but it didn't quite fit with Harry's understanding of the girl.

"What!" said Neville and forgetting his reticence about Luna crossed the compartment and sat next to her so he could read over her shoulder.

"That's why he's in Azkaban," Harry said.

"He is?"

"Serves the bastard right," Ginny said with venom. Forgiveness didn't come easy to the youngest of seven.

"It's been covered up. The esteemed Mr Malfoy was a little too close to Fudge, but even he couldn't get the man off as half the Wizengamot witnessed the attack."

"Wow I don't know what to say Harry. It always happens to you," Neville said collapsing backwards with an expression that boarded between shock and admiration.

"Doesn't it just," Harry answered. A cold shiver ran down his spine as an image of Neville falling stone dead flashed through his mind. These images had become a regular part of Harry's life over the past few weeks, a part he could well do without.

"By the way my Gran and I don't believe a word the Prophet has been printing about you and Dumbledore. In fact she's stopped taking it."

"Thanks Neville I appreciate that."

Luna had placed the earphones on her head and was turning the recording device around prodding it here and there with her wand. Harry leaned across and pointed at a slight indentation on the top. Luna placed her wand tip there and settled back listening to the recording.

Harry looked out at the passing scenery and wondered once more whether he was doing the right thing going back to Hogwarts. He had a rough idea of the route he was going to take. It could only be rough as he couldn't be sure what the reactions of everybody else would be. What he was going to do would be largely out of character for him and that was his other worry could he actually make himself do it.

His mental musings were interrupted by a peal of wild laughter from Luna who it seemed had heard something hysterical funny. Unfortunately for Ron he took that exact moment to enter the compartment. The expression on his face as he starred at Luna was enough to make Harry forget his doubts and he burst out laughing as well.

"Sit down Ron the wind might change and you'll be stuck with that face for ever," Harry said. Ron mentally shook himself and sat down between Ginny and Harry forcing his sister to move up much to her irritation. Hermione sat on the other side beside Neville.

"Hey Harry guess who they've made a prefect?"

"Malfoy," Harry answered.

"Who told you?" Ron said looking upset that his news was already known.

"The tea leaves," Harry said making a poor effort of imitating Trelawney's fake ethereal voice.

"Yea right," Ron said.

"It was always going to be him Ron. I'm sure it was bought and paid for months ago."

"Yea but with his dad in prison Dumbledore could have picked somebody else."

"Prefects are recommended by the Head of House Ron," Hermione said. "The Headmaster has the final say of course, but I don't suppose he likes to interfere too much." Harry's snort was missed by both his friends.

"But Malfoy is the son of a known Death Eater what's he thinking of," Ron insisted.

"Leave it Ron I'm sure it makes sense to Dumbledore even if it doesn't to the rest of us mortals. I've given up wondering how his mind works a long time ago," Harry said.

"Well if that little twerp gives you any trouble I'll make his tame gorillas do lines. He's bound to abuse his position."

"Oh and you abusing yours is alright then?" Hermione said with an edge to her voice. Harry closed his eyes and gave an internal sigh. The fact that he had a chance to do things differently didn't make hearing his friends have the same argument again any easier to bear.

"Speaking of little twerps look who's come to pay us a visit," Ginny said as the compartment door slide open once more.

"You watch your mouth you filthy blood traitor," Malfoy snapped glaring at Ginny who refused to be intimated and glared right back.

"How's daddy?" she sneered.

"Why you little …"

"Say one more word Malfoy and I'll keep the promise I made to your father," Harry said standing up wand at the ready. "He passed the message on I hope, about how you only get one chance." The red flush in Malfoy's cheeks drained away leaving him pale and pasty. It was clear that he must have spoken to his father. Harry hadn't spoken loudly, in fact he spoke barely above a whisper, but there was an unusual harshness in his voice that everybody felt.

"You'll get yours Potter. Nobody does that to my father and gets away with it."

"Oh please Draco is that the best you can do. An empty threat, you're half the man your father is, and he squealed like a little girl when I hit him."

"You're dead Potter."

"Just so we're clear about this Draco you are now out of chances. Upset any of my friends, and that includes everybody in here, and your life won't be worth living. Now get out before I'm forced to make you leave the train early."

Harry suddenly extended his arm and took a step closer so the wand was now inches away from Malfoy's face. There was no mistaking the fear in boy's eyes or the rage at his impotence. Harry knew this wasn't going to be the end, it never was with Malfoy, but he didn't care. In fact on some level he looked forward to it.

Harry slide the door shut and watched Malfoy disappear down the corridor followed by Crabbe and Goyle who had merely looked on stupidly throughout the short exchange.

"Blimey Harry you can be right scary when you want to be," Ron said. Harry just shrugged his shoulders. He had wanted to put the fear of God into Malfoy, but he knew that the arrogant twerp would talk himself out of his funk eventually, and then plot some sort of pathetic revenge.

"Harry you shouldn't go around baiting him," Hermione chided.

"I wasn't baiting him Hermione. I meant every word I said. From the moment that Cedric was murdered in front of me the rules have changed. We're at war and I intend to prosecute it to the best of my ability, and you know why."

"But you don't know for sure that you're meant to kill him Harry."

"We've been over this Hermione. What else could it say, and even if it doesn't he has it in for me, so he's going to come after me whatever I do." This had been a running argument over the last few weeks. All of them agreed that the prophecy was about Harry and Voldemort. The actual wording though was always open for debate.

"You still don't have to get involved, and you know my opinion on … on," Hermione looked over at Neville and Luna, "Divination."

"It's alright I don't mind them knowing about the prophecy Hermione. Neville and Luna are trustworthy." Both of them looked stunned at Harry's total trust in them. "Whatever it does or doesn't say is not important. He killed my parents and if I get a chance to kill him I will."

"You don't have to," Hermione pleaded. Harry could feel his anger, or was it passion, rising.

"I know, but it's my choice and if I get the chance I'll take it. I know Neville would strike Bellatrix Lestrange down without hesitation if he got the chance." Hell Harry thought he'd seen him do it once before. Why wouldn't he do it again? It took a moment for him to realise that the compartment had gone deathly quiet and everybody was looking at Neville. It was Luna who broke the silence.

"Who is Bellatrix Lestrange?" It was only then that Harry realised the blunder he had made.

"Oh god Neville I'm sorry. I didn't mean to … look I found out by accident and … and …," Harry trailed off not knowing what to say next.

"It's alright Harry," Neville said with a calm that Harry definitely wasn't feeling. "I'm proud of my parents, but it's … it's not easy to talk about. People are quick to judge, and I don't want their… looks."

Harry was feeling sick to the stomach and to make matters worse he saw that Cho Chang was hovering in the corridor taking quick glances at him. He had no intention of trying another failed romance with her, and she deserved to know that as soon as possible. The pain of Cedric's death would still be red raw for her.

"Look I'm sorry Neville I won't say another word about it I promise."

"It's alright Harry it's not like it's a state secret. The trial is on public record after all." Hermione, Ron and Ginny's eyes nearly popped out at the inference. Luna's expression remained much the same.

"His parents weren't the one's who were on trial," Harry said quickly.

"Heavens no," Neville said. "Look I better tell you what happened."

"You don't have to," Hermione said just a little too quickly.

"I want to, besides you'd look it up sooner or later anyway." Hermione looked as though she wanted to argue the point but didn't. Harry glanced out at the corridor and saw that the door was about to be opened once more.

"Let me head off Cho first Neville," Harry said standing up and stepping into the corridor.

Even as he closed the compartment door behind him Neville began to explain the horror his parents had endured. At first he was talking to his lap, but then the inner courage that filled the shy boy took over. He lifted his head looking the other occupants in the eye. The anguish on Hermione's face made Harry temporarily forget why he had left the compartment so he was taken by surprise by the soft hesitant voice.

"Hi Harry."

"Hey Cho," Harry answered. There was a pause neither of them sure how to proceed.

"Um how was your summer?" Cho asked.

"I've had better," Harry said. The ever present tears were struggling not to pour down Cho's face, but unlike the first time around Harry found he wasn't bothered by the prospect. Cedric deserved to be missed. "He was one of the best and the world's a poorer place for his absence."

"He was, wasn't he?" Cho sniffed loudly and the tears began to roll unchecked.

"He was as brave as any Gryffindor, in fact braver than most. The fact that he was placed in Hufflepuff shows what a selfless and loyal friend he was. Any idiot can be brave," Harry said glancing at Hermione who was engrossed with Neville's story.

"You're not an idiot Harry, and not every one can be brave," Cho said with a hesitant smile. Um … Harry look I know that this isn't really the right time or place or anything, but I was wondering whether you would be interested …"

"Before you go any further Cho I need to tell you that this year is going to be a nightmare for me, thanks to Voldemort and others. I'm not going to have the time or energy for any relationship much as I'd like to." Cho's face fell and the half smile vanished.

"Oh."

"Look a few months ago I would have jumped at the chance, but there's a war starting now and I'm up to my neck in it whether I like it or not." He wanted to add that her own feelings were going to be confused, but he remained silent no likes to be called an emotional wreck especially when they were.

The tears began to flow faster and an angry and embarrassed Cho turned on her heels and stomped away barging into a fourth year girl as she went. Harry had hoped that it would have gone a little better than that, but it was not to be, and in the grand scheme of things it was a minor matter.

The Great Hall quietened and Harry glanced up at the staff table to see that Professor Dumbledore had stood up. Despite all that had been written about him over the last few months the Headmaster's natural authority was enough to have complete silence from the students without him having to utter a word. This fact was accentuated only minutes later once Umbridge had started her speech part way through Dumbledore's own. It was just as soporific as the first time Harry had failed to listen to it.

"Right I'm fed up not listening to this," Harry suddenly stated once the hubbub had spread throughout the hall as the students began their own conversations. He checked his wand was still in his robe pocket, slapped his palms down on the table loudly and pushed himself up.

"Harry what are you doing?" Hermione hissed. She was the only one nearby to have noticed his actions.

"I'm going to pick a fight," Harry said with a grin and a wink.

He chose to ignore the horrified look on Hermione's face and strolled leisurely up towards Umbridge who didn't seem to notice him. The noise the students were making died away the closer Harry got proving that everybody else in the hall did until a heavy silence weighed down on it. Harry knew that he had been portrayed in the Daily Prophet as an unstable attention seeking lunatic, and that his current actions could be seen as confirming that impression, but he was pass caring what other people thought. There were few people whose opinion mattered to him anymore.

"And so it is important that the future of education at Hogwarts is left in the hands of those that …"

"What are your teaching qualifications?" Harry demanded as his eyes locked onto Umbridge's. He didn't want to risk catching the eye of any of the other teachers up there.

"Mr Potter please do not interrupt me," Umbridge said in her worst sickeningly sweet voice.

"You interrupted the Headmaster I figured you'd be fine with me interrupting you, besides you lost the crowd five minutes ago." Harry gave her his most insincere smile.

"Sit down Mr Potter."

"It's a simple question Miss Umbridge. What are your teaching qualifications?" Harry said standing his ground.

"I have been approved by the Minister himself Mr Potter, now go back to your seat." Trying to remain polite in front of the whole school was clearly becoming a strain as her face began to pink.

"I'll try again. The question was clearly harder to understand than I thought." Then in a tone of voice that she had used on Hagrid he spoke slowly and loudly. "WHAT … ARE … YOUR … TEACHING … QUALIFICATIONS?"

"How dare you speak to me in that manner Mr Potter," she screeched.

"So that's a no then. You have no qualifications. Well I'm not surprised you won't be the only professor at Hogwarts who can't teach," Harry said turning his head and glaring at Snape, who returned it a hundred fold. "But at least he knows his potions and isn't dead. So what do you know about Defence Against the Dark Arts Miss Umbridge?"

"I do not have to answer to you Mr Potter."

"Considering how much I have to pay in fees to come here you bloody well should. But you're right you answer to the Minister don't you. You're here to keep an eye on the Headmaster and me aren't you? Wouldn't want the truth to get out now would you? That would spoil the cloud cuckoo land that the Ministry are currently living in. Voldemort is back whether you believe it or not, and I reckon you know that, but you see this as an opportunity to wield some extra power."

"That is a foul lie Mr Potter, and I think detention Friday night will make you realise what the real truth is."

"You can try and deny it all you want. I suppose that Cedric Diggory wasn't murdered in your fantasy world."

"The boy's death was a tragic accident in a dangerous competition, nothing more."

"That boy was called Cedric Diggory and a braver man I have yet to meet. So explain to everyone here how being killed by the Avada Kedavra curse can possibly be an accident."

"He was not Mr Potter."

"Now that really is a lie _Miss_ _Umbridge_," Harry put all his scorn and disgust in saying her name.

"That's a week's detention and fifty points from Gryffindor Mr Potter. Now go back to your seat." There was a sharp intake of breath from the Gryffindor table.

"You disgust me Umbridge. Your utter lack of concern for the murder of a pupil at this school speaks volumes about you and the Ministry you work for. I think everybody here can now see what sort of revolting person you really are."

Harry then turned on his heel and walked back to his seat trying to keep his expression neutral. It was just the opening shots, but the undermining of the Hogwarts High Inquisitor was under way, and with luck anarchy should erupt that much sooner. That had been way more fun than he imagined. His heart was pounding in his chest, but it felt empowering and exhilarating.

The faces of the students looked mostly stunned and confused. There were more mouths open than shut. Ron and Hermione prominently amongst them, but Harry knew that after a couple of DADA lessons they would see what he was talking about. Maybe, just maybe the rest of the school would think that he was telling the truth about Voldemort as well. This though would be just the first of many skirmishes in a long war.

Once he had sat down there was an eruption of urgent whispering throughout all the house tables. It seemed that everybody kept glancing at him, but none of them could hold the stare that Harry returned.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron demanded.

"Just clearing the air."

"That was clearing the air."

"People need to see what kind of bitch that woman is."

"Harry you lost us fifty points," Hermione said clearly angry, "never mind that you've got a weeks detention."

"Not important Hermione, it's just not important, besides it wouldn't be the first time I've lost or won fifty points now would it?" The noise in the Great Hall was now so great that whispering was no longer practical.

"This isn't the way to do it Harry all you're doing is making this harder for yourself."

"Harder for myself," Harry said his raising his voice, "that bitch tried to kill me this summer." His accusation, as the fates would have it, was heard by all as the hall had gone suddenly quiet. The reason for this was that Umbridge, her face now pinker than her cardigan, was standing behind him actually shaking in rage her wand in hand.

"Withdraw that statement Mr Potter immediately. No one believes your lies anymore."

"Then it doesn't matter if I withdraw it then. I know, and you know that you tried to kill me. It's not surprising really all the other defence teachers have tried." Harry hoped Remus would forgive him for placing him in such a ghastly rogue gallery.

"Unlike them you just decided to have a go before taking up the position. I must applaud your zeal." Umbridge raised her wand a fraction higher her fingers white from the excessive grip she was using to hold it.

"I won't ask again Mr Potter you will withdraw your outrageous lie."

"Or what, you're going to curse me. Come on do it. You know you want to," Harry taunted standing up to face her. "My wands still in my pocket show everybody how much you hate me, because I sure as hell hate you, you bitch."

"ENOUGH," roared Dumbledore as Umbridge raised her wand back as though to finally strike. At last, Harry thought, the Headmaster decides to get involved. God knows what he was waiting for.

"Delores we need to talk. Mr Potter return to your dormitory immediately." Harry turned and looked at him but yet again he had turned his head away avoiding his gaze.

"You've failed the school Headmaster letting this creature enter it."

Harry then walked slowly away giving Ginny and her friends a wink as he passed her. She merely shook her head bemused. He had expected her to be as shocked as everybody else but it seemed growing up with Fred and George must have made her immune to such grandstanding. Fred and George though were looking as stunned as everybody else and that pleased him although he wasn't sure why. The only other person he noticed not looking dumbstruck was Luna who looked serene as ever.

"You cannot let him go Dumbledore. I demand an apology for his slander."

"I will not have my students attacked Delores whatever the provocation. Now I suggest we continue this discussion in my office. Mr Potter will be dealt with later."

There was a loud screech of anger but Harry heard no more as he had left the Great Hall but instead of going to the common room as instructed he headed for the Room of Requirement.

He was on a different type of mission now. Since the incident in Little Whingeing Harry had been worrying about his magic. His physical strength had increased dramatically. He was fairly sure his brain power had increased as well although he had no real way to judge that. Yes he had beaten Ron at chess a couple of times a first for him as he had never come close to winning before. He'd also lost many more. That said Hermione had never beaten Ron at chess either, and she was smarter than the pair of them combined. It was also why she rarely played him.

Entering the Room of Requirement brought back a flood of bad memories. Not from the lessons he had taught here, those were good memories, but from the disaster at the Ministry. What he had tried to do here hadn't been enough for any of them. He had his time again thanks to the workings of fate, but he wasn't sure that he would bother to start the D.A. up again.

Learning a short list of school approved spells hadn't been enough to compete against Death Eaters with years of experience and access to unlimited dark curses that weren't even in the restricted section of the Hogwarts library. If it was a case of one on one then a D.A. member might have had enough skill to get away, but one on one was unlikely. Death Eaters hunted in packs, and ran at the first sign of serious resistance. He would have to think further on this but now he wanted to find out about his magic.

Harry hesitated unsure what spell to use first. It should really be something gentle but the effort of remaining calm and in control while dealing with Umbridge had taken its toll. The room had provided him an eight foot stone statue loosely disguised as a Death Eater.

"Expulso," Harry yelled putting all the power he could behind it. The spell slammed into the statue's chest. Normally Harry would have expected the target to shatter into a dozen pieces. To his surprise all that remained was a pair of feet stuck to the platform and a bouncing head rolling along the floor. The rest had turned to a fine powdery dust.

The room seemed to flicker and then the dust swirled around forming a mini tornado and right before his eyes the statue reformed. Harry stared at it trying to process what he had seen. His increase in raw power was beyond his wildest dreams. At most he had expected a doubling, but this was a boost of multiples. He realised that he was now a danger to friend and foe alike if he wasn't careful. Even the simplest spell could cause mayhem. He couldn't be sure, but he doubted many basic shields could stand up to him now. A shiver of excitement ran through him.

There was one other quick test he could do. Wordless casting wasn't on the curriculum until next year and Harry wasn't sure he was even capable of it. Pointing his wand he fired off the same spell shouting it in his mind. Again the curse hit at chest height, and again the statue shattered. This time it collapsed into snitch size lumps.

It took several more goes before Harry convinced himself that he could, with some more practice, and a little care control the magically boost he had inherited from the Dementor attack.

He spent the next hour running through his knowledge of basic spells and trying to get to a level he could work at safely. His walk back to the common room was achieved on auto pilot as he ran through the consequences of what might have been.

A shudder ran through him as he realised that if he had attacked Lucius Malfoy with magic at the Ministry he might have killed him, if not obliterated him. Surprisingly that thought of killing the man didn't bother him as much as it probably should have done. It would certainly have made walking out of the Ministry free and clear much more difficult if not impossible. He decided to keep his new power under wraps for as long as possible. It would only lead to awkward questions he wasn't ready to answer.

"Password?" the Fat Lady asked bringing Harry back to the real world. He looked around but there was nobody in sight. He hadn't been told the password before he had left the Great Hall and then he smiled at the memory of Neville's plant which thankfully had been ignored on the train. At least this time around he hadn't been covered in its pus.

"Where have you been?" Hermione greeted him with an expression of concern and anger. "Professor McGonagall was here looking for you, and she was not happy."

"I wandered around for a bit."

"What do you mean you wandered around, do you have any idea the storm you've created?"

"Honestly Harry the place was bedlam after you left. I thought that Umbridge woman was going to attack Dumbledore," Ron said.

"I'd have liked to see that," Harry said with a smirk. He had meant to stir things up and it looked like he had succeeded.

"She's a Professor Ron not some woman," Hermione snapped angrily. "She's neither Hermione. I'll call her a Professor the moment I learn something about Defence against the Dark Arts from her, but she's not here to teach. You heard her speech."

"I know what I heard Harry but actions speak louder than words."

"Indeed they do, now I better go and placate Seamus as I don't think he likes sharing a room with a nutter like me."

"Well you didn't exactly help yourself tonight, did you? Oh and by the way Professor McGonagall wants you in her office eight o'clock tomorrow morning, sharp," Hermione said from the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the girls' dormitories.

"Look forward to it," Harry said moving towards the boys' stairs.

It was clear that Seamus's opinion of him had hardened in the last few hours, and Hermione was right he hadn't helped his cause there. His Irish brogue was thicker than normal and could be heard throughout the whole boys' tower. What surprised Harry though was the voice shouting back. He knew that Neville and his grandmother supported his view that Voldemort was back, but to hear the normally quiet reserved boy lay into Seamus was a major surprise. In fact he had never heard Neville ever raise his voice before.

"The Prophet's nothing but a Ministry mouth piece and it's time you started thinking for yourself Seamus," Neville yelled as Harry and Ron entered their dormitory.

"Good advice Neville. What this school needs is more independent thought."

"Alright there Dean?"

"Yea fine thanks Harry," he mumbled his head deep in his trunk. It was clear that he didn't want to get involved.

"Good. Now then Seamus let me explain to you what happened at the end of last term, and then I'll tell you about my summer."


End file.
